>hh="d:\outmail\out"+TTOC(DATETIME())+".dbf"
>hh=STRTRAN(hh," "+"")
>hh=STRTRAN(hh,":"+"")
>hh=STRTRAN(hh,"/"+"")
>
>
>the value of hh is d:\outmail\out07012015084913.dbf
>
>SELECT outmail
>
>COPY TO &hh
>
>I get invalid path or filename - what am I doing wrong?
>
>d:\outmail dirctory exists exists as does the file outmail

Do not use macro, use Name expression instead.
Also make sure that "d:\outmail\ folder exists

hh="d:\outmail\out"+TTOC(DATETIME())+".dbf"

hh=CHRTRAN(hh," :/", "")

SELECT outmail
TRY
   md ("d:\outmail\") && It is closed in quotes and brackets just in case there are spaces in the folder name
CATCH
ENDTRY

COPY TO (hh) && Here