Insider Members - CU update has it fixed long file names

Do you mean this?

Tip Starting in Windows 10, version 1607, MAX_PATH limitations have been removed from common Win32 file and directory functions. However, you must opt-in to the new behavior.

A registry key allows you to enable or disable the new long path behavior. To enable long path behavior set the registry key at HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem LongPathsEnabled (Type: REG_DWORD).

Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces (Windows)

lx07 said:

Do you mean this?

Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces (Windows)

Hi there
@lx07

Still no good even after a reboot. -- things like VLC use file explorer for browsing directories etc -- still fails.

This is getting to be almost a SHOW STOPPER -- am really surprised Ms hasn't really worked on this - especially with more and more people using NSA and Network systems (Linux/Android etc have max file + directory path length of approx. 32,260 !!!).

Cheers
jimbo

Brink said:

Hello Jimbo, :)

There is the group policy below that can be enabler for long paths, but some have reported that it hasn't helped either. It may be worth a try.

Enable or Disable Win32 Long Paths in Windows 10 - Windows 10 Customization Tutorials

Hi there @Brink

Thanks for the suggestion

Tried BOTH methods -- still no go in File Explorer.

I think the article actually refers to getting things from the store etc -- or you have to mess around with UNC naming -- it fails again on Bog standard File explorer which is what a load of programs call e.g VLC when they need to browse the file system to select a file.

It might be Internally the paths work - but if the DISPLAY is rubbish the poor users can't select the content they need.

File explorer (and third party Total Commander too) both need a proper re-vamp to get this to work. !!! - If any of you guys have influence with Windows Teams could you pass this through as a DEFECT or at least an issue that needs to be sorted.

I can't believe that the whole file naming is based on a historical DOS idea (8.3) - I'm sure that I'm not the only one coming up against this problem --especially as people are much more used to getting data / multi-media from NAS servers and Networks --it's all mainstream these days.

Here's the Windows version I'm using (W10 x-64 Pro ENG - GB)



Cheers
jimbo

It works for me with command prompt/powershell.

File Explorer though will not show (or let you create) paths longer than 260 on 15063 CU build.

I suppose it is depends on the program but for File Explorer it seems it still doesn't do what you want even with the above change.

lx07 said:

It works for me with command prompt/powershell.

File Explorer though will not show (or let you create) paths longer than 260 on 15063 CU build.

I suppose it is depends on the program but for File Explorer it seems it still doesn't do what you want even with the above change.

Hi there

Thanks for all the replies and suggestions


Problem still is - say your files are being served by a NAS server or equivalent.

You use say a program like VLC or Winamp --or even foobar for accessing media files -- also programs like mp3tag --these use file explorer when you need to browse through the directory list to find your files

Then that's where it all goes pear shaped.

Until either the Windows applications use their own file browsers (and why should they if there's a perfectly good system available via standard Windows commands to invoke the file explorer) or file explorer itself is fixed then "Houston --We have a problem ....!

Cheers
jimbo

jimbo45 said:

...Then that's where it all goes pear shaped.

Until either the Windows applications use their own file browsers (and why should they if there's a perfectly good system available via standard Windows commands to invoke the file explorer) or file explorer itself is fixed then "Houston --We have a problem ....!

As a workaround, you know you can shorten the apparent path length by mapping a drive letter to a sub-folder of the network share?

Bree said:

As a workaround, you know you can shorten the apparent path length by mapping a drive letter to a sub-folder of the network share?

Hi there
That's not always a decent solution -- I know I could define a load of extra directories and sub directories --but it's much easier to define a share as Music --certainly easier for the client systems.

All this "Faffing around" really shouldn't be necessary with a C21 Operating system.

Cheers

jimbo

While Microsoft has fixed this, it only applies to applications written specifically to use the new API's.

The reason is that most apps were written to create enough filename storage in memory to deal with the older filename length, and if MS magically just "fixed" the existing API's, it would cause memory corruption in any apps that used them because long path names would overflow the buffer storage.

It's unfortunate that old programs can't be made to magically know about longer filenames, but there really isn't any way to do that. They could, however, fix file explorer to use the new pathnames, but my guess is they're planning on retiring the existing file manager in an upcoming version of Windows 10, and don't want to invest the resources in fixing something they plan to retire.