Really long filenames

[cromertech]

I'm not sure if this is the place for this but the offending items are on the server. Several of the staff members seem to think that they need to name their file with as many characters as possible or give a full description of what's in the file.

This is becoming a problem when they want something retrieved from a shadow copy as not only do we have a long path (G:\Staff\Teaching and Learning\Non Core\Humanities\History\Year 10\Unit 2 Nazi Germany\PowerPoints\How did Hitler’s position in the nsdap develop 1919 - 1923.pptx for example)
VSS also tags a date on the folder so we get this (G:\Staff\Teaching and Learning\Non Core\Humanities\History\Year 10\Unit 2 Nazi Germany\PowerPoints(‎16 ‎June ‎2010, ‏‎12:00)\How did Hitler’s position in the nsdap develop 1919 - 1923.pptx) which gives an error stating the source filename is too long.

How can I prevent this. Trying to get the staff to use shorter filenames didn't work because i was then spending all my time finding files because they 'forgot' what they called them. Can I enforce a restriction like the good old days with 8.3 filename lengths or can I use a clever way of fooling the server into thinking the filenames aren't as long?

[JPS]

I know it isnt what you're after but look at restructuring your directories - your 'schema' seems like madness. Simple abbreviations like TL for Teaching and Learning, Y10 instead of Year 10 etc.

[pete]

^ what he said - you're attempting a technical solution to a human / organisation / training problem.

For your shadow copy use, quickly mount the at (say) the humanities level. It's a dirty kludge, but it'll work until you reorganise.

[cromertech]

Thanks this has been suggested before but then reverted back because people hate change. Would I be able to prevent people moving and deleting objects in a share but still allow writes?

[Stuart_C]

Do you work here? That's the same problem I have and with the same department?

Actually it's a pain when it come to archiving off the old data as some of the REALLY long file names wont go onto DVD and I have to spend ages renaming files.

[pete]

Do you work here? That's the same problem I have and with the same department?

Actually it's a pain when it come to archiving off the old data as some of the REALLY long file names wont go onto DVD and I have to spend ages renaming files.

Use Robocopy with the /FAT destination option to another folder, burn folder contents to DVD.

[john]

I have that same issue, staff call documents huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge names and have huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuge file trees to them, and would you believe we teach kids in ICT to make many files to be organised! Yet they have about 9 levels of folders just for ICT?! MADNESS!