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Q154470: BUG: Long File Name Working Directory Not Created

Article: Q154470
Product(s): Microsoft SourceSafe
Version(s): 
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbSSafe400bug kbSSafe500bug kbSSafe600bug
Last Modified: 08-MAY-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, 16-bit, for Windows, versions 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 
- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe, 32-bit, for Windows 4.0 
- Microsoft Visual SourceSafe for Windows, versions 5.0, 6.0 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When a user checks out a file, Visual SourceSafe prompts to create a working
directory with the same name as the project structure. The user then points to a
location on an operating system that can only handle 8.3-character filenames.
When the user clicks the "Yes" button, the following message appears:

  "Access to file .../SubProject" denied."

CAUSE
=====

If there is no Working Directory explicitly set for a project in Visual
SourceSafe and a user tries to checkout a file, Visual SourceSafe checks for a
directory structure similar to the project structure in Visual SourceSafe. If
the directory structure is not found, Visual SourceSafe attempts to create a
directory structure similar to the project structure in Visual SourceSafe. When
the 32-bit SourceSafe Explorer (WIN32\SSEXP.EXE) is run, Visual SourceSafe
assumes that a Working Directory can be created with greater than 8.3
characters. It does not detect whether the operating systems can handle
8.3-character filenames.

WORKAROUND
==========

Do one of the following:

- When the "Directory ... SubProject not found , create?" dialog comes up, edit
  the Working Directory in the "To:" TextBox to be an 8.3-character or less
  subdirectory name.

- Run WIN\SSEXP.EXE.

STATUS
======

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in the Microsoft products listed at
the beginning of this article.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Using Windows NT or Windows 95 where the working directory is set to a shared
directory on a Windows for WorkGroups computer is an example of a file system
that cannot have directories or file names greater than the MS-DOS 8.3 naming
convention.

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbSSafe400bug kbSSafe500bug kbSSafe600bug 
Technology        : kbSSafeSearch kbAudDeveloper kbSSafe600 kbSSafe400 kbSSafe500 kbSSafe16bitSearch kbSSafe32bitSearch
Issue type        : kbbug

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