xp sp 2 path length

[Jason Smart]

Hi

I have a situation where within Windows Explorer, I cannot access a file if
the path and file name are greater than 255 chars. (256?).

I believe this to be a known limitation within Windows? However, looking
through various websites etc, people talk about (particularly with NTFS)
that I can get access to more than that. Basically, if a file is sitting in
a path which exceeds the MAX_PATH value, not a lot can be done with the
file. I can't drag/drop it to another (shorter) folder destination. I
cannot open it.

Can somebody provide maybe a KB article which illustrates this or if this is
a work around to dealing with it. Is it true for Windows Server too?

TIA

Jason

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have a situation where within Windows Explorer, I cannot access a
file if the path and file name are greater than 255 chars. (256?).

I believe this to be a known limitation within Windows? However,
looking through various websites etc, people talk about
(particularly with NTFS) that I can get access to more than that.
Basically, if a file is sitting in a path which exceeds the
MAX_PATH value, not a lot can be done with the file. I can't
drag/drop it to another (shorter) folder destination. I cannot
open it.
Can somebody provide maybe a KB article which illustrates this or
if this is a work around to dealing with it. Is it true for
Windows Server too?

You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081
(Read through the entire thing - but pay particular attention to cause 4...)

Usually that is a limitation of the application you are using and not
explorer...

It also matters what file system you used and what type of media (for
example - ZIP, HDD, CD, DVD, etc..) you are using...

You could use SUBST and connect a drive letter to a point further out in the
path. So C:\This is my\long\path\here\ becomes X:\...

 

[Jason Smart]

The problem i am having is with Windows Explorer.
As stated, I cannot drag and drop (for example) my file using Windows
Explorer to another folder (which might be very short in length, eg the root
of a drive).

Cause 4 shows work arounds or possible solutions which is fine, but is that
KB article the only one, perhaps, which shows a problem with Windows
Explorer handling files and paths of a long nature? I want to show
categorically that the limitation is Windows Explorer and not (my) program
(eg a NSE).

Thanks

Jason

 

[Shenan Stanley]

I have a situation where within Windows Explorer, I cannot access a
file if the path and file name are greater than 255 chars. (256?).

I believe this to be a known limitation within Windows? However,
looking through various websites etc, people talk about
(particularly with NTFS) that I can get access to more than that.
Basically, if a file is sitting in a path which exceeds the
MAX_PATH value, not a lot can be done with the file. I can't
drag/drop it to another (shorter) folder destination. I cannot
open it.
Can somebody provide maybe a KB article which illustrates this or
if this is a work around to dealing with it. Is it true for
Windows Server too?

You cannot delete a file or a folder on an NTFS file system volume
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320081
(Read through the entire thing - but pay particular attention to
cause 4...)
Usually that is a limitation of the application you are using and
not explorer...

It also matters what file system you used and what type of media
(for example - ZIP, HDD, CD, DVD, etc..) you are using...

You could use SUBST and connect a drive letter to a point further
out in the path. So C:\This is my\long\path\here\ becomes X:\...

The problem i am having is with Windows Explorer.
As stated, I cannot drag and drop (for example) my file using
Windows Explorer to another folder (which might be very short in
length, eg the root of a drive).

Cause 4 shows work arounds or possible solutions which is fine, but
is that KB article the only one, perhaps, which shows a problem
with Windows Explorer handling files and paths of a long nature? I
want to show categorically that the limitation is Windows Explorer
and not (my) program (eg a NSE).

http://codebetter.com/blogs/sahil.malik/archive/2004/08/30/23742.aspx