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Archiver > TMG > 2001-12 > 1007244535


From: Jeffrey Owens <>
Subject: Re: [TMG] 4.0D and 8.3 External exhibit names
Date: Sat, 01 Dec 2001 17:08:55 -0500
References: <NDBBJJMPJKPBEPNBFPGAAENIFDAA.JCardinal@MediaOne.net>


John Cardinal wrote:

>Two things:
>
>1. Every file has a valid 8.3 name. Off the top of my head, I forget all the
>rules regarding how Windows converts the long name to an 8.3 name. To see what
>8.3 name is used for a particular file, you can use the "dir /x" command in a
>DOS window. It will show the long name and the short name side by side.
>

With the introduction of the VFAT file system in Win95 long filenames
(255 char) were permitted. The previous file system in earlier win ver.
used FAT. VFAT actually creates two filenames for each file the long
one and the truncated one. Win XP no longer uses VFAT which is the
reason all the talk floats around about loss of backwards capability to
utilize older application programs. I haven't built up enough of a
reference library to comment on the new file system, but once the weight
of the books exceeds 6.87654 times the computer and the cost of the
books equals 3.657 times the price I paid for my new XP system I might
know something.

>
>
>2. I just did a quick test, and TMG's Exhibit facility seems to have a problem
>when an external image points at a file whose 8.3 name includes an apostrophe.
>If you use an internal image, no problem. If you use an external image, it lets
>you pick the name, but when you try to show the image it doesn't show anything.
>
>I did the test on a Win2K machine. I have no idea about other platforms.
>

Dos had a turning point (longer names possibilities and other changes) in the recognition of file and directory names at ver. 6.22. As far as I can tell the apostrophe has always been a recognizable character for filenaming. I don't have any guess as to what is happening in this case.
Jeff Owens




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