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re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Friday, November 22, 2002 at 9:40 pm Posted by Gary (87 messages posted) Wouldn't it be easier just to rename the file?? On Friday, November 22, 2002 at 8:14 pm, Henry wrote: >I've been trying to move a folder from my HD onto a DVD or Zip. The folder contains >several layers of other folders (some of the folders as well as the files can have >names over 20 letters wrong). I'm using 98SE. When I try to copy the folder, >I keep getting an error message that says the "filename ... is too long". ScanDisk >also doesn't seem to like them. However the files seem to work just fine on the HD. > How do I get rid of this error message so that I can move these files & folders? >Thanks! > >Henry [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Friday, November 22, 2002 at 11:12 pm Posted by Henry (2 messages posted) There are dozens and dozens of files--too many to rename. In addition, the names contain vital info that needs to stay there. I really could use a viable solution so that I can transfers these files & folders without renaming or rearranging them. Henry _________ On Friday, November 22, 2002 at 9:40 pm, Gary wrote: >Wouldn't it be easier just to rename the file?? [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Saturday, November 23, 2002 at 6:19 am Posted by L. H. LOO (163 messages posted) May be this has answer for you : www.xxcopy.com On Friday, November 22, 2002 at 8:14 pm, Henry wrote: >I've been trying to move a folder from my HD onto a DVD or Zip. The folder contains >several layers of other folders (some of the folders as well as the files can have >names over 20 letters wrong). I'm using 98SE. When I try to copy the folder, >I keep getting an error message that says the "filename ... is too long". ScanDisk >also doesn't seem to like them. However the files seem to work just fine on the HD. > How do I get rid of this error message so that I can move these files & folders? >Thanks! > >Henry [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Saturday, November 23, 2002 at 7:38 am Posted by Bob Harris (992 messages posted) Every system has some limit on file name and/or totoal length of path plus file name. For windows it is about 256 characters, I think. For some CD file systems it is smaller. the number is nearly always a multiple of 2 (e.g., 64, 128, 256, etc). Unfortunately, just because you can create a file or a directory tree, does not mean that you can work with it. Windows, even up through XP, will permit you make files and directories that it can not fully use. Microsoft probably calls that a "feature". We users call it a "bug". As for your problem, here are a couple of ideas: (1) Try using WINZIP to squeeze the whole directory structure that you wish to copy into a *.ZIP file. If it works, that file can be copied. Once copied, you can UNZIP it, if you wish. (2) Write a batch script to rename files. In any editor create a file named something like NAMEX.BAT. Do not choose a name that is the same as a system command! Use DIR to get a list of files, then set up a bunch of lines in the batch file like RENAME long.xxx short.xxx, where long.xxx is the very long name and short.xxx is a shorter name. the shorter name can be greater than 8.3. (3) Use windows explorer to shorten the name of a few directories in the too-long path/file. (4) Download CKNAME, free from http://www.musicsucks.com/CKSoft/index.htm. It can rename many files easily through a simple windows interface. On Friday, November 22, 2002 at 8:14 pm, Henry wrote: >I've been trying to move a folder from my HD onto a DVD or Zip. The folder contains >several layers of other folders (some of the folders as well as the files can have >names over 20 letters wrong). I'm using 98SE. When I try to copy the folder, >I keep getting an error message that says the "filename ... is too long". ScanDisk >also doesn't seem to like them. However the files seem to work just fine on the HD. > How do I get rid of this error message so that I can move these files & folders? >Thanks! > >Henry [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Saturday, November 23, 2002 at 7:52 am Posted by Paul D (2162 messages posted) You are moving the files to a different file system, which has different limitations. Sorry, end of story. The only viable suggestion you've had is using WinZip, retaining the folder structure. Paul D On Friday, November 22, 2002 at 8:14 pm, Henry wrote: >I've been trying to move a folder from my HD onto a DVD or Zip. The folder contains >several layers of other folders (some of the folders as well as the files can have >names over 20 letters wrong). I'm using 98SE. When I try to copy the folder, >I keep getting an error message that says the "filename ... is too long". ScanDisk >also doesn't seem to like them. However the files seem to work just fine on the HD. > How do I get rid of this error message so that I can move these files & folders? >Thanks! > >Henry [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Wednesday, May 12, 2004 at 10:16 am Posted by Kenny Leong (3 messages posted) Yeah...but the problem of winzip is it can handle only a certain number of files right? So if you have a huge data archive, winzip is going to keel over. Well, the winzip I'm using can't hack the number of files I got, and I'm getting the same problem of file names too long because the path structure that I've set in my winxip system is too long. The stupid thing is that the structure seems fine in winxp itself, but if I try to send the information over to another winxp via a network etc, it won't allow me to copy things over due to the length of the path/filename. It's actually quite annoying and I could understand where the original poster is coming from. I think that these people that make these operating systems are total losers. I mean, if a winxp system allows us to make a path with that long....then I'd expect to be able to copy everything to another winxp system....but as always, the software/product is never fully tested and they push their products out with holes in them. Kenny On Saturday, November 23, 2002 at 7:52 am, Paul D wrote: >You are moving the files to a different file system, which >has different limitations. Sorry, end of story. The only viable suggestion you've >had is using WinZip, retaining the folder structure. > >color=#3366FF>Paul D > > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Wednesday, May 12, 2004 at 10:26 am Posted by Kenny Leong (3 messages posted) Yeah...but the problem of winzip is it can handle only a certain number of files right? So if you have a huge data archive, winzip is going to keel over. Well, the winzip I'm using can't hack the number of files I got, and I'm getting the same problem of file names too long (when copying things from winxp to another winxp machine) because the path structure that I've set in my winxp system is too long. The stupid thing is that the structure seems fine in winxp itself, but if I try to send the information over to another winxp machine via a network etc, it won't allow me to copy things over due to the length of the path/filename. It's actually quite annoying and I could understand where the original poster is coming from. I think that these people that make these operating systems are total losers. I mean, if a winxp system allows us to make a path with that long a name....then I'd expect to be able to copy everything to another winxp system....but as always, the software/product is never fully tested and they push their products out with holes in them. Maybe the latest winzip will allow us to pack more files in. Because my winzip 8.0 or whatever has limited file capacity...which won't work on my large number of data files that exceeds their capacity. Kenny [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Friday, October 1, 2004 at 7:41 am Posted by Lance Hill (1 messages posted) Slightly off-topic (I am running Win2000): I can understand why this could happen moving between two different file systems, but I get this same error trying to copy one folder from an NTFS drive to another NTFS drive on the same machine. Considering I am copying between identical filesystems, how can the filename be too long on one, but fine on the other? On Wednesday, May 12, 2004 at 10:16 am, Kenny Leong wrote: >Yeah...but the problem of winzip is it can handle only a certain number of files >right? So if you have a huge data archive, winzip is going to keel over. Well, the >winzip I'm using can't hack the number of files I got, and I'm getting the same problem >of file names too long because the path structure that I've set in my winxip system >is too long. > >The stupid thing is that the structure seems fine in winxp itself, but if I try to >send the information over to another winxp via a network etc, it won't allow me to >copy things over due to the length of the path/filename. It's actually quite annoying >and I could understand where the original poster is coming from. I think that these >people that make these operating systems are total losers. I mean, if a winxp system >allows us to make a path with that long....then I'd expect to be able to copy everything >to another winxp system....but as always, the software/product is never fully tested >and they push their products out with holes in them. > >Kenny > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Saturday, April 9, 2005 at 7:12 am Posted by William Ashley (2 messages posted) Ok this is after the fact so it may not be much help however when planning your structure you may like to have a better ongological hierarchy(directory system) I think what you are going to have to do in this case is to have those files moved up the directory tree. For instance if you have here/here2/here3/here4/here5/etc................................/etc......................................................................................................../thisismyfile.ext you will need to move it to a folder here 4 or here 5.. that totally messes up your directory tree. The other alternative of course is to change your here1 to h1 here to to h2 etc.. perhaps adding a text file to explain your nomenclature. It is a huge limitation on large projects however I think linux and unix can get around this. The answer of course is to have a "datacore" this core has all you data on it. Either in one file or individually. This /core directory has all your real data. Your hierarchy is held in a "file.ref" file which is basically your directory tree. However the OS then goes to the file.ref and gets the location of the /root/filenom.ext Essentially using a directory tree in a directory. File names themselves could be listed as whatever. However due to dataprocessing speed graphics painting etc.. you may like to limit it to the first 8 or so. As far as your specific question, if the hierarchy is vital you are fuxored, for say html etc.. however you could just do a find replace option for all your largenamed files using "small names" Honestly the system I just described should be used for interface. Having a "tecnom" and a "usrnom" tecnom being used for techincal processes being a serial where as usrnom is housed in the file.ref. The usr nom is only displayed or "in session" in ram process. Where as any other processes are housed behind. There should bo reason why the usrnom should extend beyond 256 characters unless there are ALLOT of files I.E. FOR 128character 8 bit as you would have to have 340,282,366,920,939,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 posibilities for tecnom file names hence give or take a few filenames. The actual number of usrnom filenames would be effectively unlimited (to the size of your harddrive/ram etc... re: hardware) . The important thing to remember that files are chunked and scattered all across a harddrive. Using "shortnames" for directories and making a explaining tree.nav file.. even as an htm linking the files.. that is a "virtual directory". Is something that you can visually see. UR FUXORED MAKE SMALLER DIRECTORIES AND DONT USE LONG FILENAMES c.2005 William Ashley [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Monday, April 11, 2005 at 2:31 pm Posted by Lance (1 messages posted) "UR FUXORED MAKE SMALLER DIRECTORIES AND DONT USE LONG FILENAMES" Did you really write that? And then copyright your response? Using "leetspeak" and misspelled words (for example, I am guessing you meant to say "ontological" and "a lot" not "ongological" and "ALLOT") while trying to show off textbook-garnered knowledge is not as impressive as you believe. Anyway, it was nice of you to respond even if it was not to my post. The purpose of my post was to convey my confusion as to why it is possible to create a directory structure on a Windows box that a Windows box cannot replicate. Your response seems to suggest I should create an better operating system, and I agree. Real operating systems should not have these kinds of problems. If the structure is too complex to be recreated, it should not be createable in the first place. Feel free to copy and distribute this post. On Saturday, April 9, 2005 at 7:12 am, William Ashley wrote: >Ok this is after the fact so it may not be much help however when planning your structure >you may like to have a better ongological hierarchy(directory system) > >I think what you are going to have to do in this case is to have those files moved >up the directory tree. For instance if you have here/here2/here3/here4/here5/etc................................/etc......................................................................................................../thisismyfile.ext >you will need to move it to a folder here 4 or here 5.. that totally messes up your >directory tree. The other alternative of course is to change your here1 to h1 here >to to h2 etc.. perhaps adding a text file to explain your nomenclature. It is a huge >limitation on large projects however I think linux and unix can get around this. > >The answer of course is to have a "datacore" this core has all you data on it. Either >in one file or individually. This /core directory has all your real data. Your hierarchy >is held in a "file.ref" file which is basically your directory tree. However the >OS then goes to the file.ref and gets the location of the /root/filenom.ext Essentially >using a directory tree in a directory. > >File names themselves could be listed as whatever. However due to dataprocessing >speed graphics painting etc.. you may like to limit it to the first 8 or so. > >As far as your specific question, if the hierarchy is vital you are fuxored, for >say html etc.. however you could just do a find replace option for all your largenamed >files using "small names" > >Honestly the system I just described should be used for interface. Having a "tecnom" >and a "usrnom" tecnom being used for techincal processes being a serial where as >usrnom is housed in the file.ref. The usr nom is only displayed or "in session" in >ram process. Where as any other processes are housed behind. > >There should bo reason why the usrnom should extend beyond 256 characters unless >there are ALLOT of files I.E. FOR 128character 8 bit as you would have to have 340,282,366,920,939,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 > posibilities for tecnom file names hence give or take a few filenames. The actual >number of usrnom filenames would be effectively unlimited (to the size of your harddrive/ram >etc... re: hardware) . > >The important thing to remember that files are chunked and scattered all across a >harddrive. Using "shortnames" for directories and making a explaining tree.nav file.. >even as an htm linking the files.. that is a "virtual directory". Is something that >you can visually see. UR FUXORED MAKE SMALLER DIRECTORIES AND DONT USE LONG FILENAMES > >c.2005 William Ashley [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at 2:20 am Posted by Kenny Leong (3 messages posted) The solution you describe will definitely work. But the sad thing is....if we have data files, like special records logged over a long time in a laboratory etc, or other files...for example computer simulation files, it could be a real headache to map the old directory structure to the new one. That is...if we have to start making 'existing' path names shorter in order to backup our data, this can be a super hassle. It's the fault of the makers of the operating system....they're losers. On Saturday, April 9, 2005 at 7:12 am, William Ashley wrote: >Ok this is after the fact so it may not be much help however when planning your structure >you may like to have a better ongological hierarchy(directory system) > >I think what you are going to have to do in this case is to have those files moved >up the directory tree. For instance if you have here/here2/here3/here4/here5/etc................................/etc......................................................................................................../thisismyfile.ext >you will need to move it to a folder here 4 or here 5.. that totally messes up your >directory tree. The other alternative of course is to change your here1 to h1 here >to to h2 etc.. perhaps adding a text file to explain your nomenclature. It is a huge >limitation on large projects however I think linux and unix can get around this. > >The answer of course is to have a "datacore" this core has all you data on it. Either >in one file or individually. This /core directory has all your real data. Your hierarchy >is held in a "file.ref" file which is basically your directory tree. However the >OS then goes to the file.ref and gets the location of the /root/filenom.ext Essentially >using a directory tree in a directory. > >File names themselves could be listed as whatever. However due to dataprocessing >speed graphics painting etc.. you may like to limit it to the first 8 or so. > >As far as your specific question, if the hierarchy is vital you are fuxored, for >say html etc.. however you could just do a find replace option for all your largenamed >files using "small names" > >Honestly the system I just described should be used for interface. Having a "tecnom" >and a "usrnom" tecnom being used for techincal processes being a serial where as >usrnom is housed in the file.ref. The usr nom is only displayed or "in session" in >ram process. Where as any other processes are housed behind. > >There should bo reason why the usrnom should extend beyond 256 characters unless >there are ALLOT of files I.E. FOR 128character 8 bit as you would have to have 340,282,366,920,939,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 > posibilities for tecnom file names hence give or take a few filenames. The actual >number of usrnom filenames would be effectively unlimited (to the size of your harddrive/ram >etc... re: hardware) . > >The important thing to remember that files are chunked and scattered all across a >harddrive. Using "shortnames" for directories and making a explaining tree.nav file.. >even as an htm linking the files.. that is a "virtual directory". Is something that >you can visually see. UR FUXORED MAKE SMALLER DIRECTORIES AND DONT USE LONG FILENAMES > >c.2005 William Ashley [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Monday, February 13, 2006 at 3:43 pm Posted by Ralph Maddox (1 messages posted) Hi Folks, I have encountered this same issue on both Win XP SP2 and Mac OS 10.4 machines... agree that it is a pain. BUT... one of the previous suggestions worked for me and I believe it will work in most, if not all, situations of this type. I just downloaded WinRAR 3.51 under Win XP Pro SP2 and archived over 1 GB of VERY long path files for a user who needs to reinstall Windows completely. Originally I tried simply copying the top level folder of the user's files but came upon the long filename error... So I've zipped it all into a single archive and burned to DVD...easy as pie :-) Many thanks to the clever poster who suggested this. On Wednesday, July 27, 2005 at 2:20 am, Kenny Leong wrote: >The solution you describe will definitely work. But the sad thing is....if we have >data files, like special records logged over a long time in a laboratory etc, or >other files...for example computer simulation files, it could be a real headache >to map the old directory structure to the new one. That is...if we have to start >making 'existing' path names shorter in order to backup our data, this can be a super >hassle. It's the fault of the makers of the operating system....they're losers. > > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 1:19 am Posted by John (4 messages posted) I come across this too often. Yes it is a "feature" of the operating system. Normally it is a combination of depth of directories in use and I have found you can convince the system to accept long names by using SUBST. Chose a drive name you are not using say X: enter SUBST X: "C:\long dirs\more dirs" Note because we are now at DOS prompt you need to quote names including spaces. The X: drive will now see the directory tree without the prefix. This can handle lots of files if they are all part of some tree. Since you will have a source an target you will need to do this twice using say Y: . This should allow you to copy a working structure but will continue to give problems with numerous utilities and tools. Hope this helps On Friday, November 22, 2002 at 8:14 pm, Henry wrote: >I've been trying to move a folder from my HD onto a DVD or Zip. The folder contains >several layers of other folders (some of the folders as well as the files can have >names over 20 letters wrong). I'm using 98SE. When I try to copy the folder, >I keep getting an error message that says the "filename ... is too long". ScanDisk >also doesn't seem to like them. However the files seem to work just fine on the HD. > How do I get rid of this error message so that I can move these files & folders? >Thanks! > >Henry [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 11:05 am Posted by gewg_ (3923 messages posted) |Yes it is a "feature" of the operating system. | John | For an Iomega Zip disk, this would be true. For a CD/DVD, it is QUITE WRONG. cache of http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/people/chaffee/jolspec.html +ISO.9660.Restrictions+up-to-128-bytes+64.unicode.characters |Normally it is a combination of depth of directories in use | With a FAT32 original, you can exceed the CD/DVD limits with just a filename in the root directory. |and I have found you can convince the system to accept long names by using SUBST. | Again: For *MAGNETIC* media that uses FAT/FAT32 [1] NOT for something that uses a ISO 9660 variant --and your burning software will determine which of those you can use. As has already been pointed out in this thread, to retain directory structures with long names while *transporting* copies of structured disk content on optical media, compress the content with a zip utility. If you are going to respond to 5 year old threads, http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/post?1038024842 at least get all your facts correct. [1] ...with caveats: cache of http://www.csulb.edu/~murdock/subst.html [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Sunday, April 6, 2008 at 11:09 pm Posted by KS (1 messages posted) http://blogs.msdn.com/kshankar/archive/2008/04/07/working-with-files-having-very-long-names-deep-path-and-long-names.aspx might be of help. On Wednesday, April 11, 2007 at 11:05 am, gewg_ wrote: >|Yes it is a "feature" of the operating system. >| John >| >For an Iomega Zip disk, this would be true. > >For a CD/DVD, it is QUITE WRONG. >cache >of http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/people/chaffee/jolspec.html >+ISO.9660.Restrictions+up-to-128-bytes+64.unicode.characters > > >|Normally it is a combination of depth of directories in use >| >With a FAT32 original, >you can exceed the CD/DVD limits with just a filename in the root directory. > >|and I have found you can convince the system to accept long names by using SUBST. >| >Again: >For *MAGNETIC* media that uses FAT/FAT32 [1] > >NOT for something that uses a ISO 9660 variant >--and your burning software will determine which of those you can use. > > >As has already been pointed out in this thread, >to retain directory structures with long names >while *transporting* copies of structured disk content on optical media, >compress the content with a zip utility. > > >If you are going to respond to 5 year old threads, >http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/win98/post?1038024842 >at least get all your facts correct. > > >[1] ...with caveats: >cache >of http://www.csulb.edu/~murdock/subst.html [Reply or follow-up to this message] re: Can't copy b/c ''filename or extension is too long'' Sunday, June 29, 2008 at 4:27 pm Posted by Moskaluk (1 messages posted) I ran into the same problem. The error message is misleading. It really should say that the target path/file names are too long. I was copying to a new computer and my new location had a longer pathway name. Just shorten your path folder names that you are putting the files into. I know this an old thread, but I used it today. On Saturday, November 23, 2002 at 7:38 am, Bob Harris wrote: >Every system has some limit on file name and/or totoal length of path plus file name. > For windows it is about 256 characters, I think. For some CD file systems it is >smaller. the number is nearly always a multiple of 2 (e.g., 64, 128, 256, etc). > >Unfortunately, just because you can create a file or a directory tree, does not mean >that you can work with it. Windows, even up through XP, will permit you make files >and directories that it can not fully use. Microsoft probably calls that a "feature". > We users call it a "bug". > >As for your problem, here are a couple of ideas: > >(1) Try using WINZIP to squeeze the whole directory structure that you wish to copy >into a *.ZIP file. If it works, that file can be copied. Once copied, you can UNZIP >it, if you wish. > >(2) Write a batch script to rename files. In any editor create a file named something >like NAMEX.BAT. Do not choose a name that is the same as a system command! Use >DIR to get a list of files, then set up a bunch of lines in the batch file like RENAME >long.xxx short.xxx, where long.xxx is the very long name and short.xxx is a shorter >name. the shorter name can be greater than 8.3. > >(3) Use windows explorer to shorten the name of a few directories in the too-long >path/file. > >(4) Download CKNAME, free from http://www.musicsucks.com/CKSoft/index.htm. It can >rename many files easily through a simple windows interface. > > [Reply or follow-up to this message] Tip: Use one of the [Reply or follow-up to this message] links above to add a message to this thread Search this forum Start a new thread on a different subject Report abuse of the forum Return to the Windows 98 Discussion Forum