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Excel can't save to paths over 218 characters

support.microsoft.com

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Re: Excel can't save to paths over 218 characters

#3

Ah.. the old 218 characters in your path problem! Because of course!

Visual Studio (at least 2010 and 2012) also has this problem, actually. If the path (including filename) to your solution file is more than 218 characters, it refuses to work with it.

Welcome to 1995!

Re: Excel can't save to paths over 218 characters

#4

Ah.. the old 218 characters in your path problem! Because of course!

It's MAX_PATH in Windows (== 260. There's a 32K Unicode-equivalent limit[1]). In Linux it's PATH_MAX, which is (very likely) 4096. That's a bigger number than 260, sure; but it's still a discrete one; instead of, say, ∞.

---

[1] 'To specify an extended-length path, use the "\\?\" prefix. For example, "\\?\D:\very long path".' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa36...

Re: Excel can't save to paths over 218 characters

#7
post #5

C:\not\sure\about\the\rest\of\you\but\i\needed\to\see\how\long\that\is\to\fully\understand\the\implications\of\this\seemingly\arbitrary\limitation\-\to\give\this\some\context\this\path\is\two\hundred\and\18\characters\

When the names mean nothing, it's harder to gauge. Here's a believable directory structure that might lead to the problem:

C:\Users\reasonableusername\Documents\Work\CompuGlobalHyperMegaNet\Non-Project Documents\Administrative\Business Contracts\Fiscal 2013\First Quarter\February\Week Two\TPS Reports Cover Sheet And Memos Template - 3.xls

Re: Excel can't save to paths over 218 characters

#8

Ah.. the old 218 characters in your path problem! Because of course!

MAX_PATH, bane of my existence. I cannot count the times a customer did not find a document in search because Windows decided to throw this limit in our faces. It can pop up at the weirdest places ...

Re: Excel can't save to paths over 218 characters

#9

Ah.. the old 218 characters in your path problem! Because of course!

It's MAX_PATH in Windows (== 260. There's a 32K Unicode-equivalent limit[1]). In Linux it's PATH_MAX, which is (very likely) 4096. That's a bigger number than 260, sure; but it's still a discrete one; instead of, say, ∞. --- [1] 'To specify an extended-length path, use the "\\?\" prefix. For example, "\\?\D:\very long path".' http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa36...

You mean finite, not discrete :-)

Re: Excel can't save to paths over 218 characters

#10
post #5

C:\not\sure\about\the\rest\of\you\but\i\needed\to\see\how\long\that\is\to\fully\understand\the\implications\of\this\seemingly\arbitrary\limitation\-\to\give\this\some\context\this\path\is\two\hundred\and\18\characters\

And even with tab completion that path shows why only a masochist with OCD thinks paths that long or deep are needed.

People who name their folders "Documents and images from the conference in August with CEO" deserve what they get.

Although 260 characters does seem like the Excel team think more like me than the rest of (more reasonable) MS.

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