ok SO I use a mac, and while I have a windows machine where I could test this I need it to work on a mac because all of my use colleagues mac.

my vb looks like this
Private Function GetValue(path, file, sheet, ref)	
' Retrieves a value from a closed workbook	
Dim arg As String	

' Make sure the file exists	
If Right(path, 1) <> "\" Then path = path & "\"	
If Dir(path & file) = "" Then	
GetValue = "File Not Found"	
Exit Function	
End If	

' Create the argument	
arg = "'" & path & "[" & file & "]" & sheet & "'!" & _	
Range(ref).Range("A1").Address(, , xlR1C1)	

' Execute an XLM macro	
GetValue = ExecuteExcel4Macro(arg)	
End Function

I've tried direct matching of the file path string and everything and all I get is "File Not Found". any suggestions?

thanks