Cannot Rename Folder with a Dot (".")

AndreTen · 19 Nov 2017

NavyLCDR said:

Interesting:

Code:

C:\Users\John>md "Docements.temp.test.folder"

C:\Users\John>dir
 Volume in drive C has no label.
 Volume Serial Number is B6BA-9DF7

 Directory of C:\Users\John

11/18/2017  02:59 PM    <DIR>          .
11/18/2017  02:59 PM    <DIR>          ..
11/16/2017  01:55 PM    <DIR>          3D Objects
11/16/2017  01:55 PM    <DIR>          Contacts
11/17/2017  03:44 PM    <DIR>          Desktop
11/18/2017  02:59 PM    <DIR>          Docements.temp.test.folder
11/16/2017  02:15 PM    <JUNCTION>     Documents [D:\John\Documents]
11/16/2017  02:16 PM    <JUNCTION>     Downloads [D:\John\Downloads]
11/17/2017  06:25 PM    <DIR>          Favorites
11/16/2017  01:58 PM    <DIR>          Links
11/16/2017  02:23 PM    <JUNCTION>     Music [D:\John\Music]
11/16/2017  02:23 PM    <JUNCTION>     Pictures [D:\John\Pictures]
11/16/2017  01:55 PM    <DIR>          Saved Games
11/16/2017  01:56 PM    <DIR>          Searches
11/16/2017  02:22 PM    <JUNCTION>     Videos [D:\John\Videos]
               0 File(s)              0 bytes
              15 Dir(s)  219,543,801,856 bytes free

I'm only having issues when the folder name ends with a period with nothing behind it. In fact, nothing will let me create or rename the folder to a name with a period at the end and nothing following it. But periods in the middle don't seem to affect anything at all.

Exactly. I've tried with 7zip (just before reddice posted his suggestion). But by extraction system renames that folder. to folder_ Have to be done with different operating system

Barman58 · 19 Nov 2017

IIRC the ability to use the period in a file/folder name came in when the character limit was raised from the initial 8.3 system to the current 128 Character limit, prior to this the only period allowed was the one that proceeds the file extension which is still an issue as it prevents the use of period as the last character.

I think this issue is one for a live linux setup, as linux is derived from UNIX which has always treated the Period as a standard Character so renaming to a standard Windows 8.3 setup, (or even a valid windows Long file name), should be a simple task

margrave55 · 19 Nov 2017

Install Cygwin. It's emulates Linux on Windows in a completely native fashion. And it's free.

In Explorer I created files and folders ending with dot. Afterwards Explorer would not let me rename them. That's the problem you're having. It's very real. And very annoying.

But a command-line shell (bash) with Cygwin had no such problem. Rename folder "x." to "anything-else" by typing:

Code:

mv x. anything-else

Done.

Use Cygwin bash to fix your problem.
Then use bash to replace CMD entirely.

CMD is surely the world's worst command-line shell language. MS introduced it in 1981, and it's based on its predecessor from the CP/M operating systems of the early 70s. Totally obsolete. And disgraceful.

Get bash. You'll never look back.