Microsoft KB Archive/135877

= Works 95: Guidelines for Using Long File Names =

Article ID: 135877

Article Last Modified on 11/15/2004

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Works 4.5 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Works 4.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft Works 4.0a

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This article was previously published under Q135877



SUMMARY
Works allows you to save files with long filenames. This article discusses rules for using long filenames.



MORE INFORMATION
Rules for long filenames:

Rule 1
All trailing and leading spaces in a filename are trimmed. You cannot start or end a filename with a space. This is a limitation imposed by Windows 95.

Rule 2
You cannot save a filename that starts with a period. Works generates an error message. The period is a reserved symbol for extensions. You must give a Works file a valid filename.

Rule 3
If you do not provide an extension, or give a non-Works extension to the filename, a valid Works extension (.wps, .wdb, .wks, .wcm) is appended to the saved filename. For example, if you save a Word Processing document as

Test.tst

Works associates your proposed filename by giving it a valid Works extension, such as

Test.tst.wps.

Exceptions to Rule 3:


 * If the proposed filename ends with a period or a series of periods, the filename will not contain an extension. No period is appended to the filename. If you end a filename with a period, you are forcing Works to not provide an extension to the filename.


 * If the proposed filename has an extension associated with a valid but different file type, the correct extension for that file type may be substituted. For example, if you are saving a word processing file in the normal Works format but with a file name of Test.rtf, the file will be saved as Test.wps, since it is not actually a Rich Text Format file.

Rule 4
The path and filename of a document in Windows 95 can have a maximum length of 255 characters. The Save As dialog box prevents you from entering a filename that is longer than 255 characters. Note that the first three characters, drive letter, colon, and backslash (\), are not part of the path and filename limitation. For example, the following document has a 39- character filename:

C:\Msworks\documents\letter to my boss.wps

Rule 5
The filename cannot contain the following characters:

\ / : * ? " < > |

Additional query words: 4.00 4.00a 4.50 kbhowto 95 works95 95works w_works constraint length number maximum limits dot dots naming lfn longfn lfilename lfname

Keywords: kbhowto kbinfo KB135877

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