onedrive / teams file sync issues maybe long path issue ?

[mrstrong]

Hi,

 

we have a microsoft 365 team, teachers open the team via outlook web app in chrome browser, then from the "Files tab" they Open in Sharepoint

and then they Sync the root folder (Documents).

Then Onedrive does the sync to create a local copy so teacher can work with files in windows File Explorer rather than in the browser.

They are also logged in to office/word and in onedrive settings have "use office applications to sync office files that I open" ticked

 

I think this is a valid way of working, though open to any suggestions of a better workflow (as this is a manual process) !

 

Anyway been investigating several file sync issues, e.g. sync errors, files not opening, and just today had a hunch that

might be because of long path names e.g. one problem file has a full path of 280 characters e.g.

C:\users\teacher\School\Team - Documents\very long path\lots of sub folders\file.notebook

 

could this be the cause ? For this particular file it appears to have synced locally (on windows 10) but on opening smart notebook throws an error.

If I copy file to desktop, copy works and I can open the file ok.

 

I guess if it is "long paths issue" there's no easy fix other than re-organizing folder structure and then move files to new structure

(would have to do in teams e.g. in browser tab?) Would be quite a big manual job

[mrstrong]

bump

 

looks like there is a path limit of 260 in windows

 

https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/fileio/maximum-file-path-limitation?tabs=registry

 

and slightly more complicated in teams/sharepoint onedrive

 

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/restrictions-and-limitations-in-onedrive-and-sharepoint-64883a5d-228e-48f5-b3d2-eb39e07630fa#filenamepathlengths

 

I wonder if just renaming folders (to shorter names) would work to shorten path lengths rather than moving files to a new "flatter structure"

as probably easier but then maybe file history/versions would still cause issues?

Edited January 10, 2023 by mrstrong

[Zelenski]

Onedrive only support up to 260 characters for file and path lengths, if you are transfer from any where to it , and it supports up to 400 characters for file and path lengths if you are copy from onedrive to onedrive . Anyway you can use GUI sync tools Sharegate or Gs Richcopy 360 to upload your files directly to Onedrive/Sharepoint /MS Office 365 fast and easily depending on the onedrive longpath limits .

[thimon]

We have deployed the following registry key for years and have no issues with long file paths https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/onedrive-for-business/how-to-resolve-path-is-too-long-error-endless-abending-loop/m-p/3634467

[Chuckster]

We have deployed the following registry key for years and have no issues with long file paths https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/onedrive-for-business/how-to-resolve-path-is-too-long-error-endless-abending-loop/m-p/3634467

 

 

If you don't want to mess with the registry, you could use the GPO equivalent: Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > System > Filesystem > Enable Win32 long path