Microsoft Office Applications File Name Length Limitation

XLDataSoft

 

             

 

Although there is no official numbers (from the limit specifications of Excel, Word, and PowerPoint), if you file name is too long, it will cause problem/error to you, and sometimes the problem looks scary – like the above image. Inappropriate treatment of the problem may make your valuable data lost and/or hours of hard work wasted.

Based on the author’s test (Office 2002), the file name length limitations are summarized as following (error here means both error and warning):

 

 

 

 

 

 

The file name length here is defined as the total number of characters included in the drive, path, name and extension.  For example, C:\Test\Test01.xls has a file length of 18. The minimum file name length is 8, like c:\a.doc – the drive name includes 3 characters “c:\”, the file extension includes 4 characters “.xls”; and the name should have at least one character.

 

For Microsoft Excel,

If file name length exceeds 218 characters, it will have a type A error like the following:

What happens is that when you try to open an existing file, it shows a warning message like “xxxx could not be found. Check the spelling of the file name, and verify that the file location is correct”. Although you are 100% sure that the file exists, the program still gives this warning message. This message always confuses the users. One of the potential reasons is the file name length.  Reduce your file name length and retry. If the above message still appears, then there may be some other reasons.

If file name length exceeds 246 characters, it will have a type B error like the following:

This message appears when you try to open the file. Although it includes some unfamiliar words like “DDE”, it does tell the user that the filename or path is too long. This error message can be easily removed as it suggests – reducing file name length.

 

For Microsoft Word,

If file name length exceeds 248 characters, it will have a type C error like the following:

What happens is that you can open the file and edit the file, but when you try to close the file, the above message appears. This message looks 100% normal. But, when you save the file by clicking “Yes” and try to close the file again, the above message keeps appearing. If you click “No”, the file closes, but the file is not saved. Do not click “No”, which will cause your work lost. You can save your work by using “Save As” to save it in a shorter name.

If file name length exceeds 254 characters, it will have a type D error like the following:

This one looks very scary. The file is damaged? Maybe not!  Rename the file using a shorter path/name and try to open it again. If the file name length is less than 254 and the above message still appears, then there may be some real problem with your file.

 

Type E Error,

The maximum allowable file name length is 259 characters for Excel, Word and PowerPoint.

If you try to save a file name (from the Application window) with more than 259 characters, the following message will appear and it is very straightforward.

 

 

If you try to rename a file under Windows Explore, once the total name length reaches 259, you can not type any more characters – the keyboard works like being disabled.

 

If you rename a file’s path or move a file to another path, which causes the file name length exceed 259 characters, then one of the following three scenarios will happen.

 

1)      Windows does not allow you to rename or move the file, and displays the one of the following messages.

 

 

 

 

2)      If you rename or move is successful, then the file can not open. When you try to open the file by double click the file name, nothing will happen. The application (Excel, Word, or PowerPoint) will not run and the file will not open.

 

3)      If you rename or move is successful, then the file can not open. When you try to open the file from the application menu, the following message will appear:

 

 

However, the above problems can be worked around even with a long file name. The solution is very complicated for average users. For more information, try this http://support.microsoft.com/kb/207574.

 

 

TO BE SAFE AND TO AVOID THE ABOVE TROUBLES,

 

-         MAKE YOUR FILE NAME LENGTH LESS THAN 200 CHARACTERS.