VPC-98 / filename character length issue

darkscot · Dec 31st, 2005, 08:47 PM

I'm testing VPC with Win98 to run Dreamweaver because we need to install a plug-in that is Windows only. Dreamweaver runs okay (mini with 512) but I cannot open most of my html/aspx files. All of my files with names longer than 8 characters are renamed and no longer recognized for the type they are, inside and outside of Dreamweaver. Is there anyway to bypass this filename length restriction? Would WInXP work better?

tizerfish · Jan 1st, 2006, 02:27 AM

i'd suggest windows 2000 if your upgrading, because it's less of a resource sucker then XP

darkscot · Jan 1st, 2006, 08:18 AM

thanks, but bout the filename length - is that win98 only?

tizerfish · Jan 1st, 2006, 02:05 PM

oh yah, It will fix it far as i know,
windows 95+98 had a 8 characters + period + 3 characters limit,
windows NT and above have 240 characters + period + characters 3

TrevX · Jan 1st, 2006, 03:21 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by tizerfish
	oh yah, It will fix it far as i know, windows 95+98 had a 8 characters + period + 3 characters limit, windows NT and above have 240 characters + period + characters 3

No, Windows 95/98 had a 255 file name character limit, and a maximum of 260 characters for the full path name. So, for example, if you had a file named "Picture of us in Hawaii.jpg" and it was stored on the Desktop (in Windows 98), the path would be "C:\Windows\Desktop\Picture of us in Hawaii.jpg" and that makes up 46 characters. This is still true today in Windows NT/2000/XP, except the file name limit has been extended to 256 characters when you use the NTFS file system. Check this link for a comparison of file name limitations: http://www.comentum.com/File-Systems-HFS-FAT-UFS.html.

darkscot, give us an example of the file name before moving it into Windows 98 and afterwards. The only thing I can think of is that your Virtual PC Windows 98 file system is set for FAT16 instead of FAT32. FAT16 only supports 8.3 file naming convention.

Trev

darkscot · Jan 1st, 2006, 05:24 PM

I haven't moved any files into Win98 directory. I do have it setup to view attached storage/media. It only sees the first 8 characters of a file name. Then adds a file format extension.

For example, my external 80 GB has a folder named "Applications". In Win98 it appears as "Applicat.caa".

TrevX · Jan 1st, 2006, 05:42 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by darkscot
	I haven't moved any files into Win98 directory. I do have it setup to view attached storage/media. It only sees the first 8 characters of a file name. Then adds a file format extension. For example, my external 80 GB has a folder named "Applications". In Win98 it appears as "Applicat.caa".

Ok, so you have a Shared folder setup in Virtual PC that basically makes your external 80GB hard drive appear as a drive in Windows 98?

Trev

darkscot · Jan 1st, 2006, 06:46 PM

that's right. i just burned a CD and copied the files I needed. they appear fine within the 98 directory. problem solved, kinda.

TrevX · Jan 1st, 2006, 07:06 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by darkscot
	that's right. i just burned a CD and copied the files I needed. they appear fine within the 98 directory. problem solved, kinda.

It may have something to do with the kind of file system Virtual PC uses to share folders. For compatibilities sake its probably using just regular FAT16 when sharing folders with the Mac. Glad it worked when you burned a CD. Another possible solution is to drag and drop the files (or folders) directly from the Mac desktop to the Windows 98 desktop. Virtual PC will copy the files. That may work, rather than having the burn a CD.

Trev

darkscot · Jan 1st, 2006, 07:29 PM

agreed, thanks a lot for your advice, Trev

I'm also going to install XP but I think I may just take the plunge and buy a cheap windows tower. shudder, groan