How do you install help for excel 4.0 macros in Office 2003?

[Guest]

The download center says to download Excel 2000 Help File: Running Excel 4.0
Macros, but when I try to runit it says that no Windows 2000 installation is
detected (logical, since I'm running 2003). The run then terminates.

 

[Myrna Larson]

I guess they still haven't fixed this bug in the installer package. The help
file for XL2000 that I have works OK with XL2002. I don't know about 2003, but
if you post your email address, I can sent it to you. When you get it, search
for the existing (stub) file of the same name (I think it's XLMACRO.CHM) and
replace that file with the full file.

 

[Dave Peterson]

Are these files you're downloading named:

Macrofun.exe
Macro97.exe

If yes, I could right click on each and open them in Winzip and extract
manually.

http://www.winzip.com

Has a try before you buy policy.

(and maybe your favorite zip program will open them, too.)

 

[Myrna Larson]

Certainly not the last one. The format for Excel 2000 and up is CHM, and the
file is XLMACRO.CHM.

 

[Dave Peterson]

I think you meant the first one (macrofun.exe). (But I see your point.)

The files contained in the last version of macro97.exe that I downloaded are
named:
readme.txt
xlmacr8.hlp
I could extract these using winzip.

But with macrofun.exe, the files are named:
launcher.exe
xlmacro.msi

(I didn't try extracting them--my error. When I double clicked on the *.msi
file, I got that error message.)

I booted up my work pc (xl2k) and extracted that XLMACRO.CHM file. Except for
being different formats (Macrofun.hlp vs XLMACRO.CHM), the content (of the
couple of functions I looked at) seemed the same.

Do you know if they differ in substance?

Maybe macro97.exe would be sufficient.

 

[Myrna Larson]

I meant that the obvious Excel 97 one wasn't the current file.

I think they differ only in format. Actually the old Hlp style should work,
but perhaps not from within Excel, only by clicking on it from Explorer.

 

[Dave Peterson]

I can be a patoot, huh??!!!
<vbg>

And thanks for the confirmation about the content.

 

[Myrna Larson]

I don't know. What's a patoot????

I can be a patoot, huh??!!!
<vbg>

And thanks for the confirmation about the content.

 

[Dave Peterson]

As in a horse's patoot.

http://www.xoup.net/faq/patootie.txt

 

[Myrna Larson]

Oh, THAT kind! <vbg>

As in a horse's patoot.

http://www.xoup.net/faq/patootie.txt

 

[Eric Desart]

Hi All,

Greetings

I do recognize several names here as regulars from different Excel groups.
Therefore I thought it could be useful to enter this in a related thread, no matter the date.
I had exact the same problem as the original poster.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Summary EXCEL Macro 4 Help Files.

The reason I enter this summary since I searched the net and via that channel related groups and threads in function of the lacking Macro 4 Help files for XL 2003, which brought me somehow in trouble.
I lost my old XLMACRO.CHM by some CPU issues.
This macro language is still important to me (old programs).
That important that I never should have removed Excel 2000 from my CPU, knowing what I know now.

I know that most in this post is said by regulars already. I just wanted to give a related oversight + adding a solution for the XL 2000 XLMACRO.CHM file when to be used for later XL editions.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Excel 95 and 97:
macrofun.exe

Download:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/128185/EN-US/

Can be extracted in any directory making the Macrofun.hlp file available for use.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Excel 97
Macro97.exe

Download:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=143466

Will be extracted in the directory Macro97.exe is located making the XLMACR8.HLP file available for use.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Excel 2000
xlmacro.exe

Download:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...F7-D30E-4CE9-8930-5D03748CA5CD&displaylang=en


This file XLMACRO.CHM can not be extracted but will be correctly installed in Excel 2000.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


Excel 2003
(and possibly XL 2002/XP and later = no personal experience)
xlmacro.exe (see Excel 2000).
AFAIK no specific file for XL 2003 or later editions known

Download: same as Excel 2000

PROBLEM:
This file can not be installed in Excel 2003 (and possibly all other non-XL 2000 editions), since it refuses to proceed after specific checking for the (lacking) presence of an XL 2000 install.

There is no standard manner to extract the final desired XLMACRO.CHM file

PROCEDURE:
Extract File xlmacro.exe with ZIP, WINRAR or comparable utilities.
This results in XLMACRO.MSI and LAUNCHER.EXE
The needed XLMACRO.CHM file is included in XLMACRO.MSI

Download the small freeware MSI Unpacker utility: file msiprog.zip (only 170 KB) from http://www.jsware.net/jsware/msicode.php3
The ZIP file includes very clear instructions (READ FIRST.rtf). The procedure is very simple.
This Utility has to be standard unpacked to whatever arbitrary directory, and doesn't need any install itself (hence CPU and registry remains clean).
Apply as meant and XLMACRO.CHM will be unpacked and ready for use.

Possible virus scanners (e.g. Norton) can be triggered by the script giving a potential high risk warning. Just allow this script to proceed. This is perfectly safe and harmless code.
This is described in the "Read First" file as well.
This warning is a normal response from security scanners since unpacking an MSI isn't a normal applied/allowed script calling for user's attention.

However:

One can substitute the in XL 2003 included XLMACRO.CHM (11 KB) by the new one (358 KB) XL 2003 can not trigger this Help File as XL 2000 standard did.
Hence manual use (not via Excel) will remain the way to go.

The Excel 2003 Help states:
-----------------------------------------
Excel 4.0 macro functions

The Microsoft Excel 4.0 Macro Function Help file contains the reference information for all of the Excel 4.0 macro functions (XLM macros) available in Excel. You can download the Excel 2000 Help File: Running Excel 4.0 Macros from Downloads on Microsoft Office Online.

Important You can only use this help file with Microsoft Excel 2000.
-----------------------------------------

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

General.

There is and was something strange with these help files.
For people who really want to make sure they can find all Macro 4 functions back they better download all of them.

Functions and/or arguments seemingly disappeared from XLMACRO.CHM which are still 100% functional and rather point to some mistake rather than being a wittingly design choice. If remembering correct there are also added functions or arguments (can't remember exactly which ones). Anyhow it's safe to keep them all.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

I'm not often in Excel groups anymore but thought it was useful to share this.
I also don't feel that one does something wrong by recovering the XLMACRO.CHM file from the XL 2000 download from Microsoft itself, if Microsoft doesn't provide this file themselves without any related preinfo.
The XL 2003 Help itself refers to the XL 2000 download which is unusable AS IS.

Hopes this summary can be helpful for these minor few, more belonging in museums (as I do).

Warm regards
Eric Desart