How to deal with files with a name longer than 259 characters?
.NET Core now supports long path names without needing extended syntax.
I created my own LongFile and LongDirectory classes to solve that issue. I use it whenever I normally would use System.IO.File.
There might be optimizations etc on it but its been working nicely for years now.
public static class LongFile
{
private const int MAX_PATH = 260;
public static bool Exists(string path)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH) return System.IO.File.Exists(path);
var attr = NativeMethods.GetFileAttributesW(GetWin32LongPath(path));
return (attr != NativeMethods.INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES && ((attr & NativeMethods.FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ARCHIVE) == NativeMethods.FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ARCHIVE));
}
public static void Delete(string path)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH) System.IO.File.Delete(path);
else
{
bool ok = NativeMethods.DeleteFileW(GetWin32LongPath(path));
if (!ok) ThrowWin32Exception();
}
}
public static void AppendAllText(string path, string contents)
{
AppendAllText(path, contents, Encoding.Default);
}
public static void AppendAllText(string path, string contents, Encoding encoding)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH)
{
System.IO.File.AppendAllText(path, contents, encoding);
}
else
{
var fileHandle = CreateFileForAppend(GetWin32LongPath(path));
using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(fileHandle, System.IO.FileAccess.Write))
{
var bytes = encoding.GetBytes(contents);
fs.Position = fs.Length;
fs.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
}
}
}
public static void WriteAllText(string path, string contents)
{
WriteAllText(path, contents, Encoding.Default);
}
public static void WriteAllText(string path, string contents, Encoding encoding)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH)
{
System.IO.File.WriteAllText(path, contents, encoding);
}
else
{
var fileHandle = CreateFileForWrite(GetWin32LongPath(path));
using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(fileHandle, System.IO.FileAccess.Write))
{
var bytes = encoding.GetBytes(contents);
fs.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
}
}
}
public static void WriteAllBytes(string path, byte[] bytes)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH)
{
System.IO.File.WriteAllBytes(path, bytes);
}
else
{
var fileHandle = CreateFileForWrite(GetWin32LongPath(path));
using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(fileHandle, System.IO.FileAccess.Write))
{
fs.Write(bytes, 0, bytes.Length);
}
}
}
public static void Copy(string sourceFileName, string destFileName)
{
Copy(sourceFileName, destFileName, false);
}
public static void Copy(string sourceFileName, string destFileName, bool overwrite)
{
if (sourceFileName.Length < MAX_PATH && (destFileName.Length < MAX_PATH)) System.IO.File.Copy(sourceFileName, destFileName, overwrite);
else
{
var ok = NativeMethods.CopyFileW(GetWin32LongPath(sourceFileName), GetWin32LongPath(destFileName), !overwrite);
if (!ok) ThrowWin32Exception();
}
}
public static void Move(string sourceFileName, string destFileName)
{
if (sourceFileName.Length < MAX_PATH && (destFileName.Length < MAX_PATH)) System.IO.File.Move(sourceFileName, destFileName);
else
{
var ok = NativeMethods.MoveFileW(GetWin32LongPath(sourceFileName), GetWin32LongPath(destFileName));
if (!ok) ThrowWin32Exception();
}
}
public static string ReadAllText(string path)
{
return ReadAllText(path, Encoding.Default);
}
public static string ReadAllText(string path, Encoding encoding)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH) { return System.IO.File.ReadAllText(path, encoding); }
var fileHandle = GetFileHandle(GetWin32LongPath(path));
using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(fileHandle, System.IO.FileAccess.Read))
{
var data = new byte[fs.Length];
fs.Read(data, 0, data.Length);
return encoding.GetString(data);
}
}
public static string[] ReadAllLines(string path)
{
return ReadAllLines(path, Encoding.Default);
}
public static string[] ReadAllLines(string path, Encoding encoding)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH) { return System.IO.File.ReadAllLines(path, encoding); }
var fileHandle = GetFileHandle(GetWin32LongPath(path));
using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(fileHandle, System.IO.FileAccess.Read))
{
var data = new byte[fs.Length];
fs.Read(data, 0, data.Length);
var str = encoding.GetString(data);
if (str.Contains("\r")) return str.Split(new[] { "\r\n" }, StringSplitOptions.None);
return str.Split('\n');
}
}
public static byte[] ReadAllBytes(string path)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH) return System.IO.File.ReadAllBytes(path);
var fileHandle = GetFileHandle(GetWin32LongPath(path));
using (var fs = new System.IO.FileStream(fileHandle, System.IO.FileAccess.Read))
{
var data = new byte[fs.Length];
fs.Read(data, 0, data.Length);
return data;
}
}
public static void SetAttributes(string path, FileAttributes attributes)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH)
{
System.IO.File.SetAttributes(path, attributes);
}
else
{
var longFilename = GetWin32LongPath(path);
NativeMethods.SetFileAttributesW(longFilename, (int)attributes);
}
}
#region Helper methods
private static SafeFileHandle CreateFileForWrite(string filename)
{
if (filename.Length >= MAX_PATH) filename = GetWin32LongPath(filename);
SafeFileHandle hfile = NativeMethods.CreateFile(filename, (int)NativeMethods.FILE_GENERIC_WRITE, NativeMethods.FILE_SHARE_NONE, IntPtr.Zero, NativeMethods.CREATE_ALWAYS, 0, IntPtr.Zero);
if (hfile.IsInvalid) ThrowWin32Exception();
return hfile;
}
private static SafeFileHandle CreateFileForAppend(string filename)
{
if (filename.Length >= MAX_PATH) filename = GetWin32LongPath(filename);
SafeFileHandle hfile = NativeMethods.CreateFile(filename, (int)NativeMethods.FILE_GENERIC_WRITE, NativeMethods.FILE_SHARE_NONE, IntPtr.Zero, NativeMethods.CREATE_NEW, 0, IntPtr.Zero);
if (hfile.IsInvalid)
{
hfile = NativeMethods.CreateFile(filename, (int)NativeMethods.FILE_GENERIC_WRITE, NativeMethods.FILE_SHARE_NONE, IntPtr.Zero, NativeMethods.OPEN_EXISTING, 0, IntPtr.Zero);
if (hfile.IsInvalid) ThrowWin32Exception();
}
return hfile;
}
internal static SafeFileHandle GetFileHandle(string filename)
{
if (filename.Length >= MAX_PATH) filename = GetWin32LongPath(filename);
SafeFileHandle hfile = NativeMethods.CreateFile(filename, (int)NativeMethods.FILE_GENERIC_READ, NativeMethods.FILE_SHARE_READ, IntPtr.Zero, NativeMethods.OPEN_EXISTING, 0, IntPtr.Zero);
if (hfile.IsInvalid) ThrowWin32Exception();
return hfile;
}
internal static SafeFileHandle GetFileHandleWithWrite(string filename)
{
if (filename.Length >= MAX_PATH) filename = GetWin32LongPath(filename);
SafeFileHandle hfile = NativeMethods.CreateFile(filename, (int)(NativeMethods.FILE_GENERIC_READ | NativeMethods.FILE_GENERIC_WRITE | NativeMethods.FILE_WRITE_ATTRIBUTES), NativeMethods.FILE_SHARE_NONE, IntPtr.Zero, NativeMethods.OPEN_EXISTING, 0, IntPtr.Zero);
if (hfile.IsInvalid) ThrowWin32Exception();
return hfile;
}
public static System.IO.FileStream GetFileStream(string filename, FileAccess access = FileAccess.Read)
{
var longFilename = GetWin32LongPath(filename);
SafeFileHandle hfile;
if (access == FileAccess.Write)
{
hfile = NativeMethods.CreateFile(longFilename, (int)(NativeMethods.FILE_GENERIC_READ | NativeMethods.FILE_GENERIC_WRITE | NativeMethods.FILE_WRITE_ATTRIBUTES), NativeMethods.FILE_SHARE_NONE, IntPtr.Zero, NativeMethods.OPEN_EXISTING, 0, IntPtr.Zero);
}
else
{
hfile = NativeMethods.CreateFile(longFilename, (int)NativeMethods.FILE_GENERIC_READ, NativeMethods.FILE_SHARE_READ, IntPtr.Zero, NativeMethods.OPEN_EXISTING, 0, IntPtr.Zero);
}
if (hfile.IsInvalid) ThrowWin32Exception();
return new System.IO.FileStream(hfile, access);
}
[DebuggerStepThrough]
public static void ThrowWin32Exception()
{
int code = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error();
if (code != 0)
{
throw new System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception(code);
}
}
public static string GetWin32LongPath(string path)
{
if (path.StartsWith(@"\\?\")) return path;
if (path.StartsWith("\\"))
{
path = @"\\?\UNC\" + path.Substring(2);
}
else if (path.Contains(":"))
{
path = @"\\?\" + path;
}
else
{
var currdir = Environment.CurrentDirectory;
path = Combine(currdir, path);
while (path.Contains("\\.\\")) path = path.Replace("\\.\\", "\\");
path = @"\\?\" + path;
}
return path.TrimEnd('.'); ;
}
private static string Combine(string path1, string path2)
{
return path1.TrimEnd('\\') + "\\" + path2.TrimStart('\\').TrimEnd('.'); ;
}
#endregion
public static void SetCreationTime(string path, DateTime creationTime)
{
long cTime = 0;
long aTime = 0;
long wTime = 0;
using (var handle = GetFileHandleWithWrite(path))
{
NativeMethods.GetFileTime(handle, ref cTime, ref aTime, ref wTime);
var fileTime = creationTime.ToFileTimeUtc();
if (!NativeMethods.SetFileTime(handle, ref fileTime, ref aTime, ref wTime))
{
throw new Win32Exception();
}
}
}
public static void SetLastAccessTime(string path, DateTime lastAccessTime)
{
long cTime = 0;
long aTime = 0;
long wTime = 0;
using (var handle = GetFileHandleWithWrite(path))
{
NativeMethods.GetFileTime(handle, ref cTime, ref aTime, ref wTime);
var fileTime = lastAccessTime.ToFileTimeUtc();
if (!NativeMethods.SetFileTime(handle, ref cTime, ref fileTime, ref wTime))
{
throw new Win32Exception();
}
}
}
public static void SetLastWriteTime(string path, DateTime lastWriteTime)
{
long cTime = 0;
long aTime = 0;
long wTime = 0;
using (var handle = GetFileHandleWithWrite(path))
{
NativeMethods.GetFileTime(handle, ref cTime, ref aTime, ref wTime);
var fileTime = lastWriteTime.ToFileTimeUtc();
if (!NativeMethods.SetFileTime(handle, ref cTime, ref aTime, ref fileTime))
{
throw new Win32Exception();
}
}
}
public static DateTime GetLastWriteTime(string path)
{
long cTime = 0;
long aTime = 0;
long wTime = 0;
using (var handle = GetFileHandleWithWrite(path))
{
NativeMethods.GetFileTime(handle, ref cTime, ref aTime, ref wTime);
return DateTime.FromFileTimeUtc(wTime);
}
}
}
And a corresponding LongDirectory:
public class LongDirectory
{
private const int MAX_PATH = 260;
public static void CreateDirectory(string path)
{
if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(path)) return;
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH)
{
System.IO.Directory.CreateDirectory(path);
}
else
{
var paths = GetAllPathsFromPath(GetWin32LongPath(path));
foreach (var item in paths)
{
if (!LongExists(item))
{
var ok = NativeMethods.CreateDirectory(item, IntPtr.Zero);
if (!ok)
{
ThrowWin32Exception();
}
}
}
}
}
public static void Delete(string path)
{
Delete(path, false);
}
public static void Delete(string path, bool recursive)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH && !recursive)
{
System.IO.Directory.Delete(path, false);
}
else
{
if (!recursive)
{
bool ok = NativeMethods.RemoveDirectory(GetWin32LongPath(path));
if (!ok) ThrowWin32Exception();
}
else
{
DeleteDirectories(new string[] { GetWin32LongPath(path) });
}
}
}
private static void DeleteDirectories(string[] directories)
{
foreach (string directory in directories)
{
string[] files = LongDirectory.GetFiles(directory, null, System.IO.SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly);
foreach (string file in files)
{
LongFile.Delete(file);
}
directories = LongDirectory.GetDirectories(directory, null, System.IO.SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly);
DeleteDirectories(directories);
bool ok = NativeMethods.RemoveDirectory(GetWin32LongPath(directory));
if (!ok) ThrowWin32Exception();
}
}
public static bool Exists(string path)
{
if (path.Length < MAX_PATH) return System.IO.Directory.Exists(path);
return LongExists(GetWin32LongPath(path));
}
private static bool LongExists(string path)
{
var attr = NativeMethods.GetFileAttributesW(path);
return (attr != NativeMethods.INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES && ((attr & NativeMethods.FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY) == NativeMethods.FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY));
}
public static string[] GetDirectories(string path)
{
return GetDirectories(path, null, SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly);
}
public static string[] GetDirectories(string path, string searchPattern)
{
return GetDirectories(path, searchPattern, SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly);
}
public static string[] GetDirectories(string path, string searchPattern, System.IO.SearchOption searchOption)
{
searchPattern = searchPattern ?? "*";
var dirs = new List<string>();
InternalGetDirectories(path, searchPattern, searchOption, ref dirs);
return dirs.ToArray();
}
private static void InternalGetDirectories(string path, string searchPattern, System.IO.SearchOption searchOption, ref List<string> dirs)
{
NativeMethods.WIN32_FIND_DATA findData;
IntPtr findHandle = NativeMethods.FindFirstFile(System.IO.Path.Combine(GetWin32LongPath(path), searchPattern), out findData);
try
{
if (findHandle != new IntPtr(-1))
{
do
{
if ((findData.dwFileAttributes & System.IO.FileAttributes.Directory) != 0)
{
if (findData.cFileName != "." && findData.cFileName != "..")
{
string subdirectory = System.IO.Path.Combine(path, findData.cFileName);
dirs.Add(GetCleanPath(subdirectory));
if (searchOption == SearchOption.AllDirectories)
{
InternalGetDirectories(subdirectory, searchPattern, searchOption, ref dirs);
}
}
}
} while (NativeMethods.FindNextFile(findHandle, out findData));
NativeMethods.FindClose(findHandle);
}
else
{
ThrowWin32Exception();
}
}
catch (Exception)
{
NativeMethods.FindClose(findHandle);
throw;
}
}
public static string[] GetFiles(string path)
{
return GetFiles(path, null, SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly);
}
public static string[] GetFiles(string path, string searchPattern)
{
return GetFiles(path, searchPattern, SearchOption.TopDirectoryOnly);
}
public static string[] GetFiles(string path, string searchPattern, System.IO.SearchOption searchOption)
{
searchPattern = searchPattern ?? "*";
var files = new List<string>();
var dirs = new List<string> { path };
if (searchOption == SearchOption.AllDirectories)
{
//Add all the subpaths
dirs.AddRange(LongDirectory.GetDirectories(path, null, SearchOption.AllDirectories));
}
foreach (var dir in dirs)
{
NativeMethods.WIN32_FIND_DATA findData;
IntPtr findHandle = NativeMethods.FindFirstFile(System.IO.Path.Combine(GetWin32LongPath(dir), searchPattern), out findData);
try
{
if (findHandle != new IntPtr(-1))
{
do
{
if ((findData.dwFileAttributes & System.IO.FileAttributes.Directory) == 0)
{
string filename = System.IO.Path.Combine(dir, findData.cFileName);
files.Add(GetCleanPath(filename));
}
} while (NativeMethods.FindNextFile(findHandle, out findData));
NativeMethods.FindClose(findHandle);
}
}
catch (Exception)
{
NativeMethods.FindClose(findHandle);
throw;
}
}
return files.ToArray();
}
public static void Move(string sourceDirName, string destDirName)
{
if (sourceDirName.Length < MAX_PATH || destDirName.Length < MAX_PATH)
{
System.IO.Directory.Move(sourceDirName, destDirName);
}
else
{
var ok = NativeMethods.MoveFileW(GetWin32LongPath(sourceDirName), GetWin32LongPath(destDirName));
if (!ok) ThrowWin32Exception();
}
}
#region Helper methods
[DebuggerStepThrough]
public static void ThrowWin32Exception()
{
int code = Marshal.GetLastWin32Error();
if (code != 0)
{
throw new System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception(code);
}
}
public static string GetWin32LongPath(string path)
{
if (path.StartsWith(@"\\?\")) return path;
var newpath = path;
if (newpath.StartsWith("\\"))
{
newpath = @"\\?\UNC\" + newpath.Substring(2);
}
else if (newpath.Contains(":"))
{
newpath = @"\\?\" + newpath;
}
else
{
var currdir = Environment.CurrentDirectory;
newpath = Combine(currdir, newpath);
while (newpath.Contains("\\.\\")) newpath = newpath.Replace("\\.\\", "\\");
newpath = @"\\?\" + newpath;
}
return newpath.TrimEnd('.');
}
private static string GetCleanPath(string path)
{
if (path.StartsWith(@"\\?\UNC\")) return @"\\" + path.Substring(8);
if (path.StartsWith(@"\\?\")) return path.Substring(4);
return path;
}
private static List<string> GetAllPathsFromPath(string path)
{
bool unc = false;
var prefix = @"\\?\";
if (path.StartsWith(prefix + @"UNC\"))
{
prefix += @"UNC\";
unc = true;
}
var split = path.Split('\\');
int i = unc ? 6 : 4;
var list = new List<string>();
var txt = "";
for (int a = 0; a < i; a++)
{
if (a > 0) txt += "\\";
txt += split[a];
}
for (; i < split.Length; i++)
{
txt = Combine(txt, split[i]);
list.Add(txt);
}
return list;
}
private static string Combine(string path1, string path2)
{
return path1.TrimEnd('\\') + "\\" + path2.TrimStart('\\').TrimEnd('.');
}
#endregion
}
NativeMethods:
internal static class NativeMethods
{
internal const int FILE_ATTRIBUTE_ARCHIVE = 0x20;
internal const int INVALID_FILE_ATTRIBUTES = -1;
internal const int FILE_READ_DATA = 0x0001;
internal const int FILE_WRITE_DATA = 0x0002;
internal const int FILE_APPEND_DATA = 0x0004;
internal const int FILE_READ_EA = 0x0008;
internal const int FILE_WRITE_EA = 0x0010;
internal const int FILE_READ_ATTRIBUTES = 0x0080;
internal const int FILE_WRITE_ATTRIBUTES = 0x0100;
internal const int FILE_SHARE_NONE = 0x00000000;
internal const int FILE_SHARE_READ = 0x00000001;
internal const int FILE_ATTRIBUTE_DIRECTORY = 0x10;
internal const long FILE_GENERIC_WRITE = STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE |
FILE_WRITE_DATA |
FILE_WRITE_ATTRIBUTES |
FILE_WRITE_EA |
FILE_APPEND_DATA |
SYNCHRONIZE;
internal const long FILE_GENERIC_READ = STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ |
FILE_READ_DATA |
FILE_READ_ATTRIBUTES |
FILE_READ_EA |
SYNCHRONIZE;
internal const long READ_CONTROL = 0x00020000L;
internal const long STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ = READ_CONTROL;
internal const long STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE = READ_CONTROL;
internal const long SYNCHRONIZE = 0x00100000L;
internal const int CREATE_NEW = 1;
internal const int CREATE_ALWAYS = 2;
internal const int OPEN_EXISTING = 3;
internal const int MAX_PATH = 260;
internal const int MAX_ALTERNATE = 14;
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet = CharSet.Unicode)]
internal struct WIN32_FIND_DATA
{
public System.IO.FileAttributes dwFileAttributes;
public FILETIME ftCreationTime;
public FILETIME ftLastAccessTime;
public FILETIME ftLastWriteTime;
public uint nFileSizeHigh; //changed all to uint, otherwise you run into unexpected overflow
public uint nFileSizeLow; //|
public uint dwReserved0; //|
public uint dwReserved1; //v
[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst = MAX_PATH)]
public string cFileName;
[MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst = MAX_ALTERNATE)]
public string cAlternate;
}
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern SafeFileHandle CreateFile(string lpFileName, int dwDesiredAccess, int dwShareMode, IntPtr lpSecurityAttributes, int dwCreationDisposition, int dwFlagsAndAttributes, IntPtr hTemplateFile);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern bool CopyFileW(string lpExistingFileName, string lpNewFileName, bool bFailIfExists);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern int GetFileAttributesW(string lpFileName);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern bool DeleteFileW(string lpFileName);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern bool MoveFileW(string lpExistingFileName, string lpNewFileName);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern bool SetFileTime(SafeFileHandle hFile, ref long lpCreationTime, ref long lpLastAccessTime, ref long lpLastWriteTime);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern bool GetFileTime(SafeFileHandle hFile, ref long lpCreationTime, ref long lpLastAccessTime, ref long lpLastWriteTime);
[DllImport("kernel32", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern IntPtr FindFirstFile(string lpFileName, out WIN32_FIND_DATA lpFindFileData);
[DllImport("kernel32", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern bool FindNextFile(IntPtr hFindFile, out WIN32_FIND_DATA lpFindFileData);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern bool FindClose(IntPtr hFindFile);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern bool RemoveDirectory(string path);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern bool CreateDirectory(string lpPathName, IntPtr lpSecurityAttributes);
[DllImport("kernel32.dll", CharSet = CharSet.Unicode, SetLastError = true)]
internal static extern int SetFileAttributesW(string lpFileName, int fileAttributes);
}
.NET 4.6.2 Solution
Use the \\?\C:\Verrrrrrrrrrrry long path syntax as described here.
.NET Core Solution
It just works because the framework adds the long path syntax for you.
Pre .NET 4.6.2 Solution
Also use the long path syntax and the Unicode version of the Win32 API function with P/Invoke. From Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces:
The Windows API has many functions that also have Unicode versions to permit an extended-length path for a maximum total path length of 32,767 characters. This type of path is composed of components separated by backslashes, each up to the value returned in the lpMaximumComponentLength parameter of the GetVolumeInformation function (this value is commonly 255 characters). To specify an extended-length path, use the
\\?\prefix. For example,\\?\D:\very long path.
Reading this Microsoft Support page might also be interesting.
A very extensive explanation in Long Paths in .NET by Kim Hamilton at the BCL Team blog lists a few hitches in handling these paths which he claims are the reason this syntax is still not supported in .NET directly:
There are several reasons we were reluctant to add long paths in the past, and why weâre still careful about it <...>.
<...> the
\\?\prefix not only enables long paths; it causes the path to be passed to the file system with minimal modification by the Windows APIs. A consequence is that\\?\turns off file name normalization performed by Windows APIs, including removing trailing spaces, expanding â.â and â..â, converting relative paths into full paths, and so on.<...><...> Long paths with the
\\?\prefix can be used in most of the file-related Windows APIs, but not all Windows APIs. For example, LoadLibrary<...> fails if the file name is longer than MAX_PATH. <...> There are similar examples throughout the Windows APIs; some workarounds exist, but they are on a case-by-case basis.Another factor <...> is compatibility with other Windows-based applications and the Windows shell itself <...>
Because this problem is becoming increasingly common <...> there are efforts throughout Microsoft to address it. In fact, as a timely Vista plug, youâll notice a couple of changes that reduce the chance of hitting the MAX_PATH limit: many of the special folder names have shortened and, more interestingly, the shell is using an auto-path shrinking feature <...> to attempt to squeeze them into 260 characters.
Warning: You might need to call the Windows APIs directly, since I think the .NET Framework might not support this kind of path syntax.
You could try the Delimon library, its a .NET Framework 4 based library on Microsoft TechNet for overcoming the long filenames problem:
Delimon.Win32.IâO Library (V4.0).
It has its own versions of key methods from System.IO. For example, you would replace:
System.IO.Directory.GetFiles
with
Delimon.Win32.IO.Directory.GetFiles
which will let you handle long files and folders.
From the website:
Delimon.Win32.IO replaces basic file functions of System.IO and supports File & Folder names up to up to 32,767 Characters.
This Library is written on .NET Framework 4.0 and can be used either on x86 & x64 systems. The File & Folder limitations of the standard System.IO namespace can work with files that have 260 characters in a filename and 240 characters in a folder name (MAX_PATH is usually configured as 260 characters). Typically you run into the System.IO.PathTooLongException error with the Standard .NET Library.