Windows File Explorer long paths/filenames

This is pissing me off! Has been for years now. How can MS still not have a file explorer use the extended API functions so it can actually work with long file names and paths?
My classical music collection alone requires that.

Does anyone know of a good windows file explorer alternative (paid/free dont care) that handles long file names and paths properly and has a dark mode/theme?

All my scripts and renamer work just fine but try opening or editing a file thats above the windows file explorer (or 32bit api) limit and nada happens. just sad microsoft. so very sad.

dalchina said:

Enabling long path support is only meaningful for programs that support that.

I can't see whether XYplorer supports long paths or not. The only clear reference I found was that it does support a way to scan for them:
XYplorer - Highlights

An experiment showed that:
a. file explorer crashed when attempting to create a file within a nested folder whose path name had been limited when I created the final nested folder (I.e. the folder path name had reached or exceeded the long path limit)

whereas
Xyplorer allowed me to navigate to that folder and when I double clicked on the file I had in fact created when explorer had crashed:

Clicking 'Yes' didn't open the file, and XYplorer closed too, although without the WER-like delay that was what probably happened when explorer took time to close.

Hmm. I never get file explorer to crash. All apps I use produce valid files in folders whose paths are waaay too long. I can even get file explorer to create files and folders outside of its comfort zone. But then, I cant “use” those files in file explorer anymore for opening/renaming/editing.
All I want is for file explorer to honour the long filename/path function. Or have a replacement that does.
XYplorer aint it though, btw.

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thomaseg1 said:

Explorer++ - A small and fast file manager for Windows

Q-Dir 9.03 Really good quad explorer 4 files and folders

may do the trick

Explorer++ did not support the extended API functions as of August 2020 but I’ll check again. QD uses the basic Win32 API so no deal.

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Oh my. So, what I found out so far.

The only explorer alternative that does support long paths and long file names is total commander. It also allows to edit file names and open/process the files IF the accepting application also uses the extended API function.

Notepad seems to. MKVtoolnix too. Also, very surprisingly, MPC-HC, even though it hasnt been in development for years. Not surprisingly, sucky VLC does not (seriously?) and neither does the lovely PotPlayer.

Havent tested other apps. To be honest, this makes me want to move beyond windows.

loungebob said:

The only explorer alternative that does support long paths and long file names is total commander.

2023 Update

I tested many third party file managers for long path support and these were my findings (YMMV)...

The following file managers fully support long paths:

Directory Opus
XYPlorer
One Commander
Total Commander
Free Commander
Double Commander
Unreal Commander
FileVoyager
Fileside
Files&Folders
Dolphin File Manager
Far Manager
7-Zip

The following file managers do not fully support long paths:

Files (files.community)
Explorer++
Xplorer2
Altap Salamander
Tablacus Explorer
Q-Dir
fman
Speed Commander
Midnight Commander
Owlfiles
FileZilla

loungebob said:

This is pissing me off! Has been for years now. How can MS still not have a file explorer use the extended API functions so it can actually work with long file names and paths?
My classical music collection alone requires that.

Does anyone know of a good windows file explorer alternative (paid/free dont care) that handles long file names and paths properly and has a dark mode/theme?

All my scripts and renamer work just fine but try opening or editing a file thats above the windows file explorer (or 32bit api) limit and nada happens. just sad microsoft. so very sad.

Yes, it amazes me as well that Windows to this day in 2023 still allows for files being written to the system, which are not supported by all functions of the file system it is using in the first place (And, that File System is the same for decades)

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Try3 said:

Are you talking about the 260 [256] character limit?

This might help you. I've never tried it.
Enable long file name support - IT Pro

You might also like to search TenForums. There have been discussions about long filename support before.

Denis

registry changes = beta testing functionality

So, better not set it, indeed.