Feature: Add full support for \\?\ (256 character limit bypass)

[Josh65-2201]

What feature or improvement do you think would benefit Files?

\\?\ can be used to bypass the 256 characters limit windows has. Files however doesn't interact with it fully only being able to read the folder files and nothing else.

Can be tested using

mkdir "\\?\C:\Users\<Your user name here>\Downloads\aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa\FolderThatMakesPathToLong"

Requirements

• Auto add \\?\ to path (This could probably be hidden to users as it doesn't change anything with smaller paths once the below is also fixed)
  • This should NOT be done for MTP devices (Compatibility should be checked on Network drives and FTP folders)
  • Alternatively could be added for path longer then 256 characters only
• Add support for normal functions (Opening files, File operations, Creating new files, renaming existing ones, etc)
  • Commands would have to be absolute paths and not relative ones as it wont work.
  • Manual path / would have to be converted to \ before parsing
  • Recycle bin won't work with long paths for deleting, Make sure Permeant delete dialog and check shows following user setting

Files Version

3.2.4.0

Windows Version

10.0.22621.3155

Comments

No response

[0x5bfa]

FYI https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/fileio/maximum-file-path-limitation
I assume we're going to use CsWinRT server and Win32API. There's a list of functions that can be bypased.

[ezxpro]

I made a relevant comment about this issue under #9531
It's perfectly possible to implement long path names, as the Windows API supports it and many apps are able to handle long pathnames.

It's not enough to disable this limitation in WIndows, though. The app has to implement this feature for it to work.

[samcarrier]

Is this being worked on? I am looking for a new file explorer and long file paths is the main reason why I am looking for an alternative file explorer.

[Josh65-2201]

Not yet

[samcarrier]

For network path you would need to use : \?\UNC\ . I will see If I can find some time to work on it.

[disco-unixg]

@samcarrier Are you thinking about working on this? I have a need to support long pathnames and was thinking about tackling this as well. Was a software developer a long time ago but perhaps I can make a go of it, or work with you

[0x5bfa]

Either way, I'll help you out understand the codebase and how storage access works if you have questions when working on.

[fullstackdesign-xyz]

Any news on this? Thanks a lot

[yaira2]

It's available if anyone wants to work on it.