This is really a plea to Microsoft...
There are several threads about copying or deleting files where the path and/or file name is too long.
Most have explanations of why this problem occurs. (depending on Windows version and application, the total length [fully qualified file name; i.e. C:\this-dir\that-dir\somefile.xyz] is limited to a maximum of 260 or fewer characters). This limit
But I *WANT* to be able to use very long file names and paths!
I can understand Microsoft keeping this limit - even while allowing UNICODE paths and file names up to 32k characters - because many existing tools will be unable to handle the longer names. This would probably yield a lot of questions/flames about them "breaking the software I've used for years."
But it would be possible to have a system setting to optionally allow the long names. Since I'd have to manually set it, I'd know I'm potentially breaking existing software.
In my case, I'm backing up various file directories where some files are very long. With the server-side additional paths (e.g., client-name\project-name\backup-date\...") I occasionally hit files that can't be copied. Renaming is not suitable; sometimes names have to match other file names.
I can zip them, create iso files, use a backup program that creates a blob, put them in a source-control system, etc - but I really don't *want* to do that; it's very convenient to have a direct copy of the directories. Each of these 'solutions' either requires extra work (which could be scripted, so ok...) or doesn't work with the work-flow for some reason.
Microsoft, *please* fix this in Windows 8! (if not before...) This limit has existed for far too long!
And readers - please don't just repeat what's in the other threads (rename/use subst/map directory/etc) or flame without useful information. Thanks!