File name or extension too long?
rocqolivier
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Jako -
Jako -
Hello,
I'm trying to transfer 5 gigabytes of data to my external hard drive using SuperCopier, but the transfer stops several times with a message indicating that the file name or extension is too long???
I also tried the classic method of copying via Windows and got the same result.
Do file names need to be limited in the number of characters?
Is there a way to automatically rename all files exceeding this maximum length?
(My PC and my external hard drive are both formatted in NTFS)
I'm trying to transfer 5 gigabytes of data to my external hard drive using SuperCopier, but the transfer stops several times with a message indicating that the file name or extension is too long???
I also tried the classic method of copying via Windows and got the same result.
Do file names need to be limited in the number of characters?
Is there a way to automatically rename all files exceeding this maximum length?
(My PC and my external hard drive are both formatted in NTFS)
20 réponses
I think I have a simpler solution.
Whatever you try to get out of the bind (shortening directory names, attempting to move or copy files), if a directory tree is too long in terms of character count, you won’t succeed. Therefore, you need to find a way to shorten the string of characters identifying this directory tree.
You can achieve this by using the directory sharing features that Windows provides. Here’s how:
1) With Windows Explorer, from the root of the drive, enter the directory that is causing the problem and go down about halfway into the directory tree leading to the problematic file(s). So, don’t go all the way down to the problematic file(s), but stop halfway.
2) From this point in the directory tree, share the directory that contains the continuation of the directory tree leading to the problematic file(s). Assign a letter to this directory as the share name (e.g., "Z") and check the permission to modify files.
3) With Windows Explorer, then open the shared directory by stating in the address not the full path, but the share name, that is, the computer name along with the share letter (e.g., \\My Computer\Z)
In reality, the small string of characters "\\My Computer\Z" will replace the entire portion of the directory tree located between the root of the drive and the share point. This will thus drastically reduce the number of characters identifying the directory tree.
4) From this point, you can continue going down the directory tree to the problematic file(s). These are now fully manageable. This is possibly the time to shorten the directory names (contained in \\My Computer\Z) so that the entire original directory tree fits within 256 characters.
5) Once the issues are resolved, remove the share you set up in step 2 if you no longer need it.
Good job.
Groupir
Whatever you try to get out of the bind (shortening directory names, attempting to move or copy files), if a directory tree is too long in terms of character count, you won’t succeed. Therefore, you need to find a way to shorten the string of characters identifying this directory tree.
You can achieve this by using the directory sharing features that Windows provides. Here’s how:
1) With Windows Explorer, from the root of the drive, enter the directory that is causing the problem and go down about halfway into the directory tree leading to the problematic file(s). So, don’t go all the way down to the problematic file(s), but stop halfway.
2) From this point in the directory tree, share the directory that contains the continuation of the directory tree leading to the problematic file(s). Assign a letter to this directory as the share name (e.g., "Z") and check the permission to modify files.
3) With Windows Explorer, then open the shared directory by stating in the address not the full path, but the share name, that is, the computer name along with the share letter (e.g., \\My Computer\Z)
In reality, the small string of characters "\\My Computer\Z" will replace the entire portion of the directory tree located between the root of the drive and the share point. This will thus drastically reduce the number of characters identifying the directory tree.
4) From this point, you can continue going down the directory tree to the problematic file(s). These are now fully manageable. This is possibly the time to shorten the directory names (contained in \\My Computer\Z) so that the entire original directory tree fits within 256 characters.
5) Once the issues are resolved, remove the share you set up in step 2 if you no longer need it.
Good job.
Groupir
I have a similar issue. I'm unable to open a file because "filename or extension too long." However, I can't rename the file in question. What can I do? I don't know anything about computers... Thank you in advance!