Vista - File name size limit?

Hi, I posted this question some time ago with no luck, so I would like to
give a try again in case there are new info about this. I would like to know
the file name size limit in windows vista (or windows server 2003 if
better). For NTFS the limit is 256 characters and this includes the whole
path like c:\folder1\folder2\folder3....\folderN.
I know Microsoft was working in a new file system and was planning to
include it with Vista but later they removed the proyect from Vista, this
file system was SQL-based and I suppose the limit for the file names would
be greatly increased...but now I dont know.
Any info?
Thanks!
Alejandro.

WinFS is the file subsystem. But I don't recall ever seeing anything about
path length limits in any of the sparse documentation on that. Vista still
uses NTFS and as far as I know the 256 character limit still applies.

Here's some general info on WinFS:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/04/01/WinFS/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WinFS


"Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uE8ddyzYHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Hi, I posted this question some time ago with no luck, so I would like to
> give a try again in case there are new info about this. I would like to
> know the file name size limit in windows vista (or windows server 2003 if
> better). For NTFS the limit is 256 characters and this includes the whole
> path like c:\folder1\folder2\folder3....\folderN.
> I know Microsoft was working in a new file system and was planning to
> include it with Vista but later they removed the proyect from Vista, this
> file system was SQL-based and I suppose the limit for the file names would
> be greatly increased...but now I dont know.
> Any info?
> Thanks!
> Alejandro.
>

Vista, 2000, XP, etc all support 32000 character file names. However most
programs can't so don't try to use them. Programs have to be programmed to
use the larger name length. And the limit is Max Path 260 and Max Name 256.
"Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:uE8ddyzYHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Hi, I posted this question some time ago with no luck, so I would like to
> give a try again in case there are new info about this. I would like to
> know the file name size limit in windows vista (or windows server 2003 if
> better). For NTFS the limit is 256 characters and this includes the whole
> path like c:\folder1\folder2\folder3....\folderN.
> I know Microsoft was working in a new file system and was planning to
> include it with Vista but later they removed the proyect from Vista, this
> file system was SQL-based and I suppose the limit for the file names would
> be greatly increased...but now I dont know.
> Any info?
> Thanks!
> Alejandro.
>

For a program to let windows know it can handle 32k paths it prepends \\?\
to file names when opening a file. You can do this too in CMD.

copy "\\?\c:\somewhere very long\a very long file bame.txt"
"\\?\d:\somewhereelse very long\a very long file bame.txt"

<.> wrote in message news:%23xWd6R4YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Vista, 2000, XP, etc all support 32000 character file names on NTFS.
> However most programs can't so don't try to use them. Programs have to be
> programmed to use the larger name length. And the limit is Max Path 260
> and Max Name 256 for most programs.
> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:uE8ddyzYHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Hi, I posted this question some time ago with no luck, so I would like to
>> give a try again in case there are new info about this. I would like to
>> know the file name size limit in windows vista (or windows server 2003 if
>> better). For NTFS the limit is 256 characters and this includes the whole
>> path like c:\folder1\folder2\folder3....\folderN.
>> I know Microsoft was working in a new file system and was planning to
>> include it with Vista but later they removed the proyect from Vista, this
>> file system was SQL-based and I suppose the limit for the file names
>> would be greatly increased...but now I dont know.
>> Any info?
>> Thanks!
>> Alejandro.
>>
>

this is very interesting, I wonder why is it that sometimes Windows Explorer
let you create as many nested folders as you want but then dont let you
move-copy the folders to another location. Anyways I need IIS to be able to
handle huge amount of nested folders and dont know how can I prepend \\?\ in
that case, is it possible?


<.> wrote in message news:OpTCh44YHHA.3520@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> For a program to let windows know it can handle 32k paths it prepends \\?\
> to file names when opening a file. You can do this too in CMD.
>
> copy "\\?\c:\somewhere very long\a very long file bame.txt"
> "\\?\d:\somewhereelse very long\a very long file bame.txt"
>
> <.> wrote in message news:%23xWd6R4YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> Vista, 2000, XP, etc all support 32000 character file names on NTFS.
>> However most programs can't so don't try to use them. Programs have to be
>> programmed to use the larger name length. And the limit is Max Path 260
>> and Max Name 256 for most programs.
>> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:uE8ddyzYHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>> Hi, I posted this question some time ago with no luck, so I would like
>>> to give a try again in case there are new info about this. I would like
>>> to know the file name size limit in windows vista (or windows server
>>> 2003 if better). For NTFS the limit is 256 characters and this includes
>>> the whole path like c:\folder1\folder2\folder3....\folderN.
>>> I know Microsoft was working in a new file system and was planning to
>>> include it with Vista but later they removed the proyect from Vista,
>>> this file system was SQL-based and I suppose the limit for the file
>>> names would be greatly increased...but now I dont know.
>>> Any info?
>>> Thanks!
>>> Alejandro.
>>>
>>
>

Don't know. Depends if it was programmed to handle maxpath 32K or 260 (max
name is the same for both at 256). If it's 260 then a 32k path, if you can
pursuade it to use it, will crash it - it will cause a buffer overrun.
"Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:%239Tupi5YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> this is very interesting, I wonder why is it that sometimes Windows
> Explorer let you create as many nested folders as you want but then dont
> let you move-copy the folders to another location. Anyways I need IIS to
> be able to handle huge amount of nested folders and dont know how can I
> prepend \\?\ in that case, is it possible?
>
>
> <.> wrote in message news:OpTCh44YHHA.3520@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> For a program to let windows know it can handle 32k paths it prepends
>> \\?\ to file names when opening a file. You can do this too in CMD.
>>
>> copy "\\?\c:\somewhere very long\a very long file bame.txt"
>> "\\?\d:\somewhereelse very long\a very long file bame.txt"
>>
>> <.> wrote in message news:%23xWd6R4YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>> Vista, 2000, XP, etc all support 32000 character file names on NTFS.
>>> However most programs can't so don't try to use them. Programs have to
>>> be programmed to use the larger name length. And the limit is Max Path
>>> 260 and Max Name 256 for most programs.
>>> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:uE8ddyzYHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>> Hi, I posted this question some time ago with no luck, so I would like
>>>> to give a try again in case there are new info about this. I would like
>>>> to know the file name size limit in windows vista (or windows server
>>>> 2003 if better). For NTFS the limit is 256 characters and this includes
>>>> the whole path like c:\folder1\folder2\folder3....\folderN.
>>>> I know Microsoft was working in a new file system and was planning to
>>>> include it with Vista but later they removed the proyect from Vista,
>>>> this file system was SQL-based and I suppose the limit for the file
>>>> names would be greatly increased...but now I dont know.
>>>> Any info?
>>>> Thanks!
>>>> Alejandro.
>>>>
>>>
>>
>
>

now that you mention that I realize that in fact I havent tried IIS with
very long file names because I always use Windows Explorer to create them.
It would be an interesting test.
Anyways thanks a lot for your comments, I didnt know about the 32k
maxpath...this is using the Win32 API right? correct me if I am wrong but I
am kind of rusty


<.> wrote in message news:eXikOm5YHHA.1388@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
> Don't know. Depends if it was programmed to handle maxpath 32K or 260 (max
> name is the same for both at 256). If it's 260 then a 32k path, if you can
> pursuade it to use it, will crash it - it will cause a buffer overrun.
> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:%239Tupi5YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>> this is very interesting, I wonder why is it that sometimes Windows
>> Explorer let you create as many nested folders as you want but then dont
>> let you move-copy the folders to another location. Anyways I need IIS to
>> be able to handle huge amount of nested folders and dont know how can I
>> prepend \\?\ in that case, is it possible?
>>
>>
>> <.> wrote in message news:OpTCh44YHHA.3520@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>> For a program to let windows know it can handle 32k paths it prepends
>>> \\?\ to file names when opening a file. You can do this too in CMD.
>>>
>>> copy "\\?\c:\somewhere very long\a very long file bame.txt"
>>> "\\?\d:\somewhereelse very long\a very long file bame.txt"
>>>
>>> <.> wrote in message news:%23xWd6R4YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>> Vista, 2000, XP, etc all support 32000 character file names on NTFS.
>>>> However most programs can't so don't try to use them. Programs have to
>>>> be programmed to use the larger name length. And the limit is Max Path
>>>> 260 and Max Name 256 for most programs.
>>>> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>> news:uE8ddyzYHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>> Hi, I posted this question some time ago with no luck, so I would like
>>>>> to give a try again in case there are new info about this. I would
>>>>> like to know the file name size limit in windows vista (or windows
>>>>> server 2003 if better). For NTFS the limit is 256 characters and this
>>>>> includes the whole path like c:\folder1\folder2\folder3....\folderN.
>>>>> I know Microsoft was working in a new file system and was planning to
>>>>> include it with Vista but later they removed the proyect from Vista,
>>>>> this file system was SQL-based and I suppose the limit for the file
>>>>> names would be greatly increased...but now I dont know.
>>>>> Any info?
>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>> Alejandro.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>

Yes this is win32 API syntax. Remember the NT operating system runs other
operating systems. These are the Windows API rules.
"Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:OWaF7u5YHHA.1220@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
> now that you mention that I realize that in fact I havent tried IIS with
> very long file names because I always use Windows Explorer to create them.
> It would be an interesting test.
> Anyways thanks a lot for your comments, I didnt know about the 32k
> maxpath...this is using the Win32 API right? correct me if I am wrong but
> I am kind of rusty
>
>
> <.> wrote in message news:eXikOm5YHHA.1388@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>> Don't know. Depends if it was programmed to handle maxpath 32K or 260
>> (max name is the same for both at 256). If it's 260 then a 32k path, if
>> you can pursuade it to use it, will crash it - it will cause a buffer
>> overrun.
>> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>> news:%239Tupi5YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>> this is very interesting, I wonder why is it that sometimes Windows
>>> Explorer let you create as many nested folders as you want but then dont
>>> let you move-copy the folders to another location. Anyways I need IIS to
>>> be able to handle huge amount of nested folders and dont know how can I
>>> prepend \\?\ in that case, is it possible?
>>>
>>>
>>> <.> wrote in message news:OpTCh44YHHA.3520@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>> For a program to let windows know it can handle 32k paths it prepends
>>>> \\?\ to file names when opening a file. You can do this too in CMD.
>>>>
>>>> copy "\\?\c:\somewhere very long\a very long file bame.txt"
>>>> "\\?\d:\somewhereelse very long\a very long file bame.txt"
>>>>
>>>> <.> wrote in message news:%23xWd6R4YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>>> Vista, 2000, XP, etc all support 32000 character file names on NTFS.
>>>>> However most programs can't so don't try to use them. Programs have to
>>>>> be programmed to use the larger name length. And the limit is Max Path
>>>>> 260 and Max Name 256 for most programs.
>>>>> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>>> news:uE8ddyzYHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>>> Hi, I posted this question some time ago with no luck, so I would
>>>>>> like to give a try again in case there are new info about this. I
>>>>>> would like to know the file name size limit in windows vista (or
>>>>>> windows server 2003 if better). For NTFS the limit is 256 characters
>>>>>> and this includes the whole path like
>>>>>> c:\folder1\folder2\folder3....\folderN.
>>>>>> I know Microsoft was working in a new file system and was planning to
>>>>>> include it with Vista but later they removed the proyect from Vista,
>>>>>> this file system was SQL-based and I suppose the limit for the file
>>>>>> names would be greatly increased...but now I dont know.
>>>>>> Any info?
>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>> Alejandro.
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>
>

I am glad that win32 API is eventually been replaced with .net
framework..windows api is kind of obsolete already

<.> wrote in message news:%23XcTe05YHHA.2316@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Yes this is win32 API syntax. Remember the NT operating system runs other
> operating systems. These are the Windows API rules.
> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:OWaF7u5YHHA.1220@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...
>> now that you mention that I realize that in fact I havent tried IIS with
>> very long file names because I always use Windows Explorer to create
>> them. It would be an interesting test.
>> Anyways thanks a lot for your comments, I didnt know about the 32k
>> maxpath...this is using the Win32 API right? correct me if I am wrong but
>> I am kind of rusty
>>
>>
>> <.> wrote in message news:eXikOm5YHHA.1388@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>> Don't know. Depends if it was programmed to handle maxpath 32K or 260
>>> (max name is the same for both at 256). If it's 260 then a 32k path, if
>>> you can pursuade it to use it, will crash it - it will cause a buffer
>>> overrun.
>>> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>> news:%239Tupi5YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>> this is very interesting, I wonder why is it that sometimes Windows
>>>> Explorer let you create as many nested folders as you want but then
>>>> dont let you move-copy the folders to another location. Anyways I need
>>>> IIS to be able to handle huge amount of nested folders and dont know
>>>> how can I prepend \\?\ in that case, is it possible?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> <.> wrote in message news:OpTCh44YHHA.3520@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>>> For a program to let windows know it can handle 32k paths it prepends
>>>>> \\?\ to file names when opening a file. You can do this too in CMD.
>>>>>
>>>>> copy "\\?\c:\somewhere very long\a very long file bame.txt"
>>>>> "\\?\d:\somewhereelse very long\a very long file bame.txt"
>>>>>
>>>>> <.> wrote in message news:%23xWd6R4YHHA.3268@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
>>>>>> Vista, 2000, XP, etc all support 32000 character file names on NTFS.
>>>>>> However most programs can't so don't try to use them. Programs have
>>>>>> to be programmed to use the larger name length. And the limit is Max
>>>>>> Path 260 and Max Name 256 for most programs.
>>>>>> "Alejandro" <alexware69@hotmail.com> wrote in message
>>>>>> news:uE8ddyzYHHA.4772@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>>>>>>> Hi, I posted this question some time ago with no luck, so I would
>>>>>>> like to give a try again in case there are new info about this. I
>>>>>>> would like to know the file name size limit in windows vista (or
>>>>>>> windows server 2003 if better). For NTFS the limit is 256 characters
>>>>>>> and this includes the whole path like
>>>>>>> c:\folder1\folder2\folder3....\folderN.
>>>>>>> I know Microsoft was working in a new file system and was planning
>>>>>>> to include it with Vista but later they removed the proyect from
>>>>>>> Vista, this file system was SQL-based and I suppose the limit for
>>>>>>> the file names would be greatly increased...but now I dont know.
>>>>>>> Any info?
>>>>>>> Thanks!
>>>>>>> Alejandro.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>