Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
How many characters can a FSRW file name be? — Parallax Forums

How many characters can a FSRW file name be?

ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
edited 2010-10-02 14:57 in Propeller 1
Hi,

I've been trying to get FSRW to create file names longer than 8 characters but it's just not happening. Is there something inherent to FSRW that prevents me from doing this?

I know the comments in FSRW say it doesn't support long file names, but what exactly does "long" mean in this case?

thanks,
:)

Comments

  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-10-01 12:15
    Doesn't it only support 8.3 files names? I know the FSRWfemto only supports the small file type
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2010-10-01 12:31
    Ravenkallen wrote: »
    Doesn't it only support 8.3 files names? I know the FSRWfemto only supports the small file type

    Okay, maybe that explains it. By 8.3, do you mean 8 characters, a period, then a suffix like csv?

    For example, FSRW can do "Project1.csv" but it can't do something like Project12xyz ?

    I've been trying to make FSRW write files names like Project12xyz, with the intent of tacking on a .csv suffix after I download the files onto my computer. Could that be my problem?

    thanks,
    Mark
  • RavenkallenRavenkallen Posts: 1,057
    edited 2010-10-01 12:42
    Yeah, that is how it works...I have tried to make a file with a longer file name and it just cuts off after 8 characters...It is kinda annoying, but i guess it is the best we can do.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2010-10-01 13:16
    Ravenkallen wrote: »
    ....it just cuts off after 8 characters...It is kinda annoying, but i guess it is the best we can do.


    Thanks, Rav, that explains everything. Big bummer about the cutoff phenomenon. :(
  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2010-10-01 13:22
    None of the FAT filesystem objects support long filenames (name > 8 characters, extension > 3 characters). The issue is that Microsoft holds the patent for the technique used to store these and you need a license from them to write long filenames using that technique.
  • ElectricAyeElectricAye Posts: 4,561
    edited 2010-10-01 16:00
    Mike Green wrote: »
    ...The issue is that Microsoft holds the patent....

    That figures.

    Aren't they the ones that also hold all the patents to the inescapable BSOD?

    BILL-GATES-bsod.jpg
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    edited 2010-10-02 11:22
    Besides the patent issue, there is also the fact that the long filename standard Microsoft developed is overly complicated, requiring a considerable amount of program logic to implement, which is a problem for 32K-bounded Propeller projects, and it eats root directory entries like popcorn. It's much easier if you need long names to make your own scheme using another file on the SD card to cross reference the long name you want to a short automatically generated one like 000001.LFN and use some off-Prop logic to apply the longer more descriptive names to your files when you offload them.
  • potatoheadpotatohead Posts: 10,261
    edited 2010-10-02 14:57
    Another technique available is to use a TRANS.TBL file, which holds the index of long names to short ones.

    It can be implemented as a "wrapper" around the FAT file system, just so long as one does not use the Microsoft hash methodology.
Sign In or Register to comment.