Filename or extension is too long

[Surana]

Hi,
I downloaded a file from the internet and it seems to have a weirdly
long name which Windows cannot handle.

None of the applications would be able to handle it. Right clicking on
the file does not give me any choices of delete, rename or copy.

If I try to rename or copy from the command prompt or via a batch file
I get the error.
"The filename or extension is too long"

I tried writing a simple C program to call unlink on the file but that
also does not help.

Just for clarification, the path to the file is small, its in "My
Documents" folder which is not too long. But the name of the file
itself is very long.

Please advise.
I would either want to rename a file to smaller name to use it or even
deleting is an option. But I cant hold it as an unusable file on my
disk.

thanks,
--abhishek

 

[Detlev Dreyer]

I downloaded a file from the internet and it seems to have a weirdly
long name which Windows cannot handle.

None of the applications would be able to handle it. Right clicking on
the file does not give me any choices of delete, rename or copy.

If I try to rename or copy from the command prompt or via a batch file
I get the error.
"The filename or extension is too long"

That's rather unlikely. Try the REN or DEL command at the command prompt
using the pattern "A*.ext" for that file provided that "A" is the first
letter of its file name and provided that this pattern is unique.

 

[SingaporeWebDesign]

Hello,

This KB article may help (see Cause 4)
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081

--
Singapore Website Design
http://www.bootstrike.com/Webdesign/
Singapore Web Hosting
http://www.bootstrike.com/WinXP/faq.html
Windows XP FAQ

 

[Surana]

Hello,

This KB article may help (see Cause 4)http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081

Dos commands dont work with wild characters.
The link you recommended does not talk about long filenames. It talks
about long folder names.

This is a weird problem, I myself have not seen before.

Any advise is welcome.

thanks,
--

 

[eden]

I am getting this same issue, i guess the best thing to do is to use a third party app like Long Path Tool. Just download it and use it to solve this issue. I hope this would help.