trucation of long file names by some applications

[windsurferLA]

I didn’t get a reply to this question in prior post. I’ve reworded it
in the hope that someone will understand my problem and have a solution.
I am using WinXP-pro with SR2 and all subsequent updates.

Following Microsoft's recommendations, most all of my documents are
stored in the "My Documents" folder. As a result, the full path names
to files within the folder are very long. For example:

C:\Documents and Settings\Michael\My
Documents\FolderName\Specific-File-Name.xxx

My problem is that the name is often truncated to the point where you
can’t tell which of several similarly named files you have highlighted
when using applications that: (1) insist on displaying the full path
name (2) allocate insufficient space to display the very long full path
name, and (3) don’t allow you to scroll the name to the right and left.

Can one change the name of the "Documents and Settings" folder to
perhaps "DnS” without impacting standard Windows operating procedures?
Must there be a folder named “Documents and Settings” for proper
operation of Windows?

Alternatively, can one set up another folder, perhaps named DnS, that
works like the “Documents and Settings” folder? Placing a standard short
cut to a folder onto the desk top doesn’t seem to work because I cannot
add subdirectories under the desktop folder.

 

[Mike Williams]

I didn’t get a reply to this question in prior post. I’ve reworded it
in the hope that someone will understand my problem and have a solution.
I am using WinXP-pro with SR2 and all subsequent updates.

Following Microsoft's recommendations, most all of my documents are
stored in the "My Documents" folder. As a result, the full path names
to files within the folder are very long. For example:

C:\Documents and Settings\Michael\My
Documents\FolderName\Specific-File-Name.xxx

My problem is that the name is often truncated to the point where you
can’t tell which of several similarly named files you have highlighted
when using applications that: (1) insist on displaying the full path
name (2) allocate insufficient space to display the very long full path
name, and (3) don’t allow you to scroll the name to the right and left.

Can one change the name of the "Documents and Settings" folder to
perhaps "DnS” without impacting standard Windows operating procedures?
Must there be a folder named “Documents and Settings” for proper
operation of Windows?

Alternatively, can one set up another folder, perhaps named DnS, that
works like the “Documents and Settings” folder? Placing a standard short
cut to a folder onto the desk top doesn’t seem to work because I cannot
add subdirectories under the desktop folder.

I would not touch the name of the root folder C:\Documents and Settings.
There are hidden/system folders in there that would get messed up by
attempts to rename it.

You can change the location of the My DOcuments subfolder easily by
moving it, or using the TweakUI applet to set it to another folder.

 

[Brian A.]

Why not simply create your own folder on the desktop, not a shortcut to
one. Then you can add and name subfolders as you wish.

--

Brian A. Sesko { MS MVP_Shell/User }
Conflicts start where information lacks.
http://basconotw.mvps.org/

Suggested posting do's/don'ts: http://www.dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
How to ask a question: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/555375

 

[PopS]

You can move the My Documents folder, but you must do it properly
because it's a system folder: You cannot just drage it or rename
it and have it work properly.
Right click the My Documents folder and choose the Move
option. You can put it wherever you want it to be, and all your
My Documents stored files will move there, too. I have My
Documents on E:/, in fact.

Pop

 

[Wesley Vogel]

What applications are you referring to?

And by truncated, do you mean like this?
C:\DOCUME~1\WESLEY~1.VOG\LOCALS~1\Tempor~1

Changing the name of Documents and Settings will foul things up big time.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In