Office Filename Size

I move Word & Excel docs from a PC to my Mac and back again over a wireless network. When I move the docs back to the PC the filename is always messed up.

What starts as "quote ref abc123 Mr S Jobs iPhone 14 2 2007" ends up on the windows machine as: "quote ref abc123 Mr*-#"

Can anyone shed any light on why this happens and what I can do to remedy it?

Thanks guys

It sounds like you have exceeded a maximum file name length restriction. When you move these back and forth, how deep is the pathname you are using? For example, if you move the files to C and back, do you get the same result as if you move it to CProfiles\Your-User-Name-\My Documents\filepath1\filepath2....

I *think* Windows restricts you to 256 chars total, including the leading pathname. Could this be the issue?

Hi mac57

Thanks for the prompt reply.

I'm moving from c:/acompanyname/quotes/2007/quote ref abc123 mr s jobs iphone 14 2 2007

I've tried it again and the problem seams to be that the Mac version of Office will not let me save a file name exceeding 31 characters!

This is a pain as I use long file names as I have a vast number of docs to search through and my PC is pretty poor at finding them.

Interesting. I just tried it with Office:mac 2004, and Word. I saved a file with a filename that was about 76 characters long, with no issues.

There must be a compatibility option turned on somewhere in your set up that needs to be turned off. I found several compatibility settings in Word''s Preferences, but haven't had a chance to go through them. I would recommend hunting there. It will definitely allow you to save >31 char filenames (at least Office:mac 2004 will - what version are you running?).

I'm wondering if its because of the spaces in the name. I think PCs have problems with files with spaces in the names.

I'm running Office 2004 on the Mac. My PC has no problems with file names with gaps as that's how they are before being transfered over to my Mac.

When I try to save the file on the Mac it tells me I can't save the file if it has more than 31 characters.

I forgot to say I am running Office X with the 10.1.9 updates.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Frankie Angels said:

I forgot to say I am running Office X with the 10.1.9 updates.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Click to expand...

That's a bug in Office X.

Microsoft created the "New" Office X from the old Office 2001, which was limited to 31 characters because it was designed for Mac OS 9. When they came out with Office X, they didn't bother to update the code.

They didn't fix it until Office 2004, for which they charged another upgrade fee.

technologist said:

That's a bug in Office X.

Microsoft created the "New" Office X from the old Office 2001, which was limited to 31 characters because it was designed for Mac OS 9. When they came out with Office X, they didn't bother to update the code.

They didn't fix it until Office 2004, for which they charged another upgrade fee.

Click to expand...

Thanks Technologist

At least I know what I need to do to remedy the situation - pay Microshite a ton of money!

Thanks for all the help guys - this forum is an essential tool for noobs to the wonderful world of Mac like me :dummy: