Enable long file paths (aka "File Name Too Long" problem when syncing)
As a developer, I have deeply nested file structures with sometimes arduously long file names. I am unable to use OneDrive as it stands now because of this. I would like to suggest that this limitation be removed. I understand that it's probably a fundamental infrastructure issue but it's severely hampering Onedrive when compared to other competitors out there right now, despite all the other cool features.
Brian Hall
shared this idea
We’ve enabled significantly longer paths for your personal OneDrive in our latest Windows and Mac releases (available from http://onedrive.com/download). You should be able to use paths up to 430 characters from the root of your local OneDrive sync folder. Our telemetry tells us this covers the vast majority of customers who have hit max path issues in the past. Note that if you have over 90 characters in your local OneDrive path (that is, from drive letter to OneDrive\) you will see characters over 90 cut into the budget of 430 characters (93 character local path will mean 427 characters available for path in the OneDrive folder).
1042 comments
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Michael Sinz
commented
This is an amazing problem for me too. The folder names I use are descriptive (not just "foo" but full names/dates of events) and then the file names are also somewhat descriptive. The total seems to have run into some limit in OneDrive that does not even seem to be a problem locally for my tools dealing with the files. If the local laptop can handle the file names, I would expect that OneDrive would have no problem with it. But it does (and has prevented the syncing the folders involved)
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Anonymous
commented
Just signed up for Office 365 Home Premium for the 1 TB storage and the ability to get all my files synced. I have multiple directories with java src that go deep.
The Sync keeps failing and does not exit gracefully either. The error message does not indicate that clicking OK will cause OneDrive to reset itself and start from scratch. Also when in restarts it takes forever to rediscover all the files and begin the sync process. Same issue with hitting Cancel - OneDrive simply quits silently. On restarting it goes into a long loop of rediscovering files - hours and hours lost on this.
This is truly Embarrassing.
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BK
commented
If only I can segregate those files with long file name and place it in some other folder and I can allow sync process to take place smoothly. but How can I do that? Right now, I am unable to sync, as Onedrive is not giving an option to skip the long file. It just stopped, and restart the whole process. Surprisingly, dropbox can sync those files without complication.
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Gab riel
commented
PS. I used 3 votes on this topic. If I could use all 10 on it I would.
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Gab riel
commented
+1 - this is a HUGE problem for me, as I too am a developer with very deeply nested structures when creating and backing up applications, and I currently hate OneDrive because of this. It is severely hampering my ability to use it. It would even be better if OneDrive would meanwhile simply list problems but still upload files that are not nested too deep. As it stands, if even a single file is nested too deep, nothing syncs on OneDrive--at least that is the case for me so far---I just got OneDrive and so far it won't sync anything. It just keeps listing files nested too deep ONE FILE AT AT TIME. Then, when I fix that one, and the next 15, it just keeps listing more. It won't even list them all at once so I can fix all at once. So far, quite disappointed.
PS. My Google Drive sync isn't having a problem, so I assume it supports deep file directories. Also, I use FreeFileSync to locally back up files, and it also supports deep file nesting.
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anonymous
commented
+1 - this is a major roadblock preventing migration from other services
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Aritz González
commented
It's a huge problem, I think this with some characters are the most important problems in the service.... I just paid a Home Office month but I don't know if I paid another, I can't save my iTunes Libary (yes, I'm a mac user). And I have problems too with some files with forbidden characters...
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ian
commented
Have 1000gb of storage but cannot use them really. Wanted to migrate from dropbox too.
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Nittin
commented
please work with the idea that in this day and age people do not use the 8.3 file naming structure anymore and that people have unlimited file depth in their path structures. you could at least be as effective (i would hope) as your competitors.
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Nittin
commented
any chances on the fix coming before i die?
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Anonymous
commented
Ran into the same problem today when joining OneDrive. I was literally in the middle of the process of providing my credit card details to pay for a subscription when I got this message
"A file or folder can't be downloaded because the path is too long. Please exit and restart OneDrive, and then pick a location with a shorter path for your OneDrive folder."
On restarting OneDrive it asks me to go through the whole initial setup process again.
It's a huge and embarrassing flaw, and until it is fixed there is no way I'll be paying for a subscription. Back to Dropbox it is...
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Hao Tran
commented
From SkyDrive to OneDrive, still haven't been fixed? Pleases fixed it, or I will switch to other cloud drive provider?
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Anonymous
commented
have this issue been fixed?
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truyen
commented
same problem. Endnote creates long path and now I have over 200 files with long names. Get stuck here
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Tim Ward commented
This is extremely problematic as the way OneDrive on Mac handles this limitation is by terminating the client. It would be great if it could just handle this more gracefully and log sync errors.
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Lukas Taves
commented
So much this.
I love to have my working copies on onedrive so I get some syncing and version control even for not commited modifications, but this very issue is preventing me from doing this on my current project :(
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leozanet
commented
try downloading Long Path Tool.
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Doug Hicken
commented
Can't be too complicated as everyone else out there can figure it out.... I'm frankly amazed that when one drive was originally written as skydrive that they didn't think about this. This is what happens when old code is ported :)
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bhanquier
commented
Same: try to sync a not-so-complicated Calibre library, or a music library with classical music, and nope, no dice.
Yes, maybe complicated but as another person said: it needs to be fixed. -
Anonymous
commented
I'm not a developer, but I just happen to have some long file names. Well...I didn't realize they were long *until*...
I started using OneDrive. (Never had the issue with other cloud-based companies)
