BUG: Path Greater than 95 Characters Causes VFP Mac to Hang

• Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Macintosh, version 3.0b

SYMPTOMS

The computer hangs or returns an error message after you attempt to start Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Macintosh. Typically, the splash screen appears, but then the machine locks up or an error occurs and Visual FoxPro for Macintosh is unable to start.

CAUSE

The error is caused by typing a string greater than 95 characters into the Search Path box on the File Locations tab of the Options dialog box (which is found on the Tools menu). The length of the path that causes the error may vary.

RESOLUTION

The Visual FoxPro Settings file contains this information. This file is located in the System folder within the Preferences folder. Remove the Visual FoxPro Settings file from this folder and place it on the desktop. Restart Visual FoxPro to create a new settings file. After you restart Visual FoxPro for Macintosh, delete the old Visual FoxPro Settings file by dragging it to the Trash icon.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at the beginning of this article. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: The following steps will probably lock up the computer. Therefore, close all running applications and save your data before following this procedure.

Steps to Reproduce Behavior

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.

2. Click the File Locations tab.

3. Click the button at the end of the Search Path box.

4. In the Select a Folder dialog box, select the following folders:

         Microsoft Visual FoxPro\Samples\Controls
         Microsoft Visual FoxPro\Samples\Data
         Microsoft Visual FoxPro\Samples\Mainsamp
   

   Each path is concantenated into a string with each individual path separated by a semicolon (;).

5. Quit Visual FoxPro for Macintosh.

6. Restart Visual FoxPro for Macintosh. The computer produces an error or it hangs.