Forum Discussion
Why are we still hit by MAXPATH limitations in OneDrive in 2019??
>The 250 limit is a Windows OS restriction.
It's a limitation in some of the ancient functions in the old Win32 API. Alternatives not limited by MAXPATH have been available for a long time so the question of why are we still effected by them is valid.
Microsoft controls Windows, File Explorer (just an app really) and OneDrive so am at loss why it can't be resolved. It's not an NTFS nor a Word issue as both can obviously handle long paths.
I might need to be restrained if I ever come across the programmer who first typed #define MAX_PATH 260 🙂 And yes, I know the reasons it existed 30 years ago.
File Explorer can obviously handle long paths as it can navigate down through very deep structures. Just can't pass the path to applications correctly. I assume it's the application launch mechanism that has the restriction. So why hasn't a new alternative launch application mechanism been implemented? Even if 3rd party app developers have to make changes, I'm assuming the changes wouldn't be too drastic.
It's very annoying as I'm having to defend my recommendation my client switches from DropBox Business to OneDrive. Okay, so Dropbox (et al) when working with File Explorer all have the same problem but OneDrive amplifies the problem with using a very long HTTP header.
Dropbox: C:\Users\123456790123\DropboxOneDrive: https://tenantnamehere-my.sharepoint.com/personal/onedrive_tenantnamehere_onmicrosoft_com/Documents
So 30 character pre-amble for Dropbox (12% of MAXPATH) but OneDrive 99 character pre-amble (40% of MAXPATH).
I tried to be clever and used a junction to reduce the path length and whilst it opens, it opens read-only and without autosave 😞
- Plus I wondered if space replacement by %20 was also making it even more greedy in using up the MAXPATH limit.
- That URL MAXPATH is over 400 thou to make up for it. The local MAXPATH for onedrive is going to be c:\users\username\onedrive - orgname closer to dropbox's.