Yet another <File Path Is Too Long> error

[ccardimon]

I am getting this error again. I have no clue which file name is the offender because this is all I am given to work with:

Linking cross-references...
Creating chapters...
The specified path, file name, or both are too long. The fully qualified file name must be less than 260 characters, and the directory name must be less than 248 characters.
Aborted.

Suggestions?

[jackdeland]

Hi Craig,

Are you building on a server and testing on your own machine? In my case, the server was using a deeper directory path than my machine; it worked for me but not for the server. Also, I found that 260 char limit is not always correct; sometimes it fails on less. Doesn't your build log identify the path and file? Have you tried using MadBuild to create it?

[ccardimon]

Hi Craig,

Are you building on a server and testing on your own machine? In my case, the server was using a deeper directory path than my machine; it worked for me but not for the server. Also, I found that 260 char limit is not always correct; sometimes it fails on less. Doesn't your build log identify the path and file? Have you tried using MadBuild to create it?

What is MadBuild? Never heard of it.

[Nita Beck]

If you've never heard of MadBuild, then the question is moot for your situation. I don't use it either, but as I understand it, it's a separately licensed command-line tool that allows for automated Flare builds as part of a larger software build process, such as nightly builds.

To fix your situation, you should move your Flare project to as shallow a folder location as possible, such as C:\FlareProjects\YourProjectHere.

[ccardimon]

To fix your situation, you should move your Flare project to as shallow a folder location as possible, such as C:\FlareProjects\YourProjectHere.

Okay, I'm game, but how does one move a Flare project? I sure don't want to break anything.

[Nita Beck]

First create the root folder where you're going to store all of your Flare projects (e.g., C:\FlareProjects).

Next, in the spirit of caution, make a backup (.flprjzip) of the project first. Use Project > Zip Project. Then close the project.

Now you have two options (and personally, I'd go with the second option):

Option 1: With Flare still open, use File > Open to open the zipped backup you just made. You'll need to tell Flare to open .flprjzip files, rather than the usual .flprj. Flare will ask if you want to unpack the project and ask you where you want to put it. Tell it to put it in that root folder you made earlier; Flare will create a subfolder to hold it, based on the filename of the .flprjzip. At your convenience, you can go back and delete the old project.

Option 2: With Flare closed and working in Windows Explorer, MOVE the entire folder that holds the original project into that root folder you made earlier. (AMDENDED: BEFORE opening the project, delete the Analyzer and Output folders.) Then open the project. I am confident that links will not have been messed up, as the links are relative (internal) to the project. But just in case they did, you have that backup so can pursue Option 1.

[ccardimon]

Thanks a bunch, Nita! I'm on it.

[Nita Beck]

I amended my advice above.

[ccardimon]

I amended my advice above.

Okay, gotcha.

[ccardimon]

Everything seems to work after the move. Two Notes:

1. I did have to mess around with a handful of cross-references, but I can handle that.

2. I also had to delete some ancient project import files, too.

Other than that, my first try at building the target that WAS throwing errors went smoothly.

[RossF]

Moving it to your local machine doesn't always work.

Sometimes it is also necessary to shorten file names within the project. Truncating the target name usually does it for me, but sometimes I've had to also shorten page layout names and image names.

It is some behind the scenes thing going on in the Output/Temporary folder. Some of the depth going on there is huge, always hanging around the edge of the 255 character limit even if you are frugal with the length of your file and folder names.