Length of File Names..

[Curtis Dennis]

Please forgive my ignorance but, I am trying to find out
the maximum number of characters that can be in a windows
file name. We operate a website that deals in downloadable
forms for contractors. We however work in the land of Mac,
we will be creating new file names for the forms, but need
to know the limit of letters, spaces etc, that can be in a
windows file name. As we hope to rename the files into a
name that makes some sort of sense, for both mac and pc
users,I need to track down this info. Thanks in advance for
the help.

 

[Stephen]

255

Use any alphanumeric characters but not:

.. " / \ [ ] : ; | = , * ?

Stephen

| Please forgive my ignorance but, I am trying to find out
| the maximum number of characters that can be in a windows
| file name. We operate a website that deals in downloadable
| forms for contractors. We however work in the land of Mac,
| we will be creating new file names for the forms, but need
| to know the limit of letters, spaces etc, that can be in a
| windows file name. As we hope to rename the files into a
| name that makes some sort of sense, for both mac and pc
| users,I need to track down this info. Thanks in advance for
| the help.

 

[Wesley Vogel]

I think XP supports long file names up to 255 characters.

 

[Opinicus]

255
Use any alphanumeric characters but not:
. " / \ [ ] : ; | = , * ?

You can have periods (.) and commas (,) in file names.

comma, test.doc
and
period. test.doc

are both valid file names.

 

[Stephen]

Whoops, yes, you are correct there. I often use a period in a file name
myself!

Stephen Online

|
| > 255
| > Use any alphanumeric characters but not:
| > . " / \ [ ] : ; | = , * ?
|
| You can have periods (.) and commas (,) in file names.
|
| comma, test.doc
| and
| period. test.doc
|
| are both valid file names.
|
| --
| Bob
| Kanyak's Doghouse
| http://www.kanyak.com
|

 

[Mark Weinreb]

[ and ] are also valid in file names.
myfile[1].doc is a valid name.

 

[Stephen Online©]

I was listing for 8.3 format not for LFN on NTFS. And I missed one at that;
in DOS 8.3 format the (space) character is not valid either.

Stephen Online©


| [ and ] are also valid in file names.
| myfile[1].doc is a valid name.
|
| | > Whoops, yes, you are correct there. I often use a period in a file name
| > myself!
| >
| > Stephen Online
| >
| > | > |
| > | > 255
| > | > Use any alphanumeric characters but not:
| > | > . " / \ [ ] : ; | = , * ?
| > |
| > | You can have periods (.) and commas (,) in file names.
| > |
| > | comma, test.doc
| > | and
| > | period. test.doc
| > |
| > | are both valid file names.
| > |
| > | --
| > | Bob
| > | Kanyak's Doghouse
| > | http://www.kanyak.com
| > |
| >
| >
|
|

 

[Alex Nichol]

I think XP supports long file names up to 255 characters.

But bear in mind that there is also a similar limit on the fully
qualified name - path and name, eg
C:\Program FIles\Common Files\long folder\long file
has all got to fit in

 

[Steve N.]

Wesley Vogel wrote:




But bear in mind that there is also a similar limit on the fully
qualified name - path and name, eg
C:\Program FIles\Common Files\long folder\long file
has all got to fit in

Also bear in mind that when burning to CD there are even more stringent
limitations in CDFS; filenames must not exceed 35 characters and no more
than 8 directory levels deep from root.

Steve