Directory tool can't read subdirectories with long file paths

[roe_r]

I'm using the Directory tool to read in file names but it's having issues with long file paths.  Does anyone have any workarounds for this or is this just a known issue with the Directory tool?  

The error is:

Warning: Directory (2): Invalid Directory "C:\Users\long path here\*.*": The system cannot find the path specified. (3)

I know there is a workaround in windows to allow this ( See this thread ), which I have done and windows doesn't have trouble with the file, but the directory tool still has issues with the location.

The location is in a dropbox folder, just in case that matters.

[jamielaird]

Hi @roe_r 

I'm not sure the file path length is the issue. I just tested with an arbitrarily long file path and Directory worked fine. Are you sure it's not something else?

Yes I did create all these foldersWorks fine..

[jamielaird]

Scratch that, I just read your message properly and the issue is not the file path length but one of the folder names. Tested and indeed you are right that causes borking.

[jamielaird · Accepted solution]

Hi @roe_r 

I think I've come up with a viable solution, but it's a bit of a hack.

What you'll need to do is leverage the Run Command tool to write out something like the following:

cd "C:\Users\home\Desktop\parent folder\longfoldername" & dir > "C:\Users\home\Desktop\parent folder\dir.txt

This will create a file named dir.txt listing the contents of the directory in the parent folder of the long folder. You can then read this in via an Input tool and parse it in the usual way.

The dir.txt file will look something like this (looks short as in this case I only had one dummy file in there):

 Volume in drive C has no label.
 Volume Serial Number is 4E24-CEDF

 Directory of C:\Users\home\Desktop\untitled folder\thisisalongfoldernamethisisalongfoldernamethisisalongfoldernamethisisalongfoldernamethisisalongfoldernamethisisalongfoldername

05/15/2019  04:11 PM    <DIR>          .
05/15/2019  04:11 PM    <DIR>          ..
05/15/2019  04:10 PM                 0 file.txt
               1 File(s)              0 bytes
               2 Dir(s)  243,379,408,896 bytes free

[jamielaird]

Hi @roe_r 

Did you manage to get this to work? If so please could you mark the solution as accepted - it's really appreciated in the community.

Cheers!

[roe_r]

Even after changing the registry to enable long windows file names, I'm still having some trouble in Windows with long file names so I suspect that something else might be giving me trouble.  The solution proposed by @jamielaird should work, although I just gave up on this as it was related to a time sensitive analysis and I could move things to folders with shorter paths for now.