BoxCryptor is creating files with long file names which runs explorer into errors.

digrouz

Hello,

I'm using BoxCryptor to secure data on my dropbox account. While trying some stuff with it, I realize that it create some files with 261 characters filenames. Then I was unable to delete thoses files in anyway using explorer, I had to boot on a linux live media, and delete the files after mounting the drive with ntfs-3G. I've so 2 questions about that:

- Is this a bug? Is there a way to avoid this behavour and get filenames that can be handled by explorer?
- Is dropbox able to handle/synchronize thoses files?

Thanks in advance.

Robert

Hi digrouz,

The answer is: "It's a feature not a bug". Windows can handle filenames with up to 32.767 characters and so does BoxCryptor. However, many other programs do only support filenames up to 260 characters - even many Microsoft programs like Windows Explorer and also Dropbox.

It is not possible to avoid this behavior at the moment, but we're thinking of adding an option to only allow up to 260 characters.

--Robert

PS: You do not have to boot Linux to handle those files. There are other file managers for Windows which can handle those long filename lengths, e.g. xplorer² (http://zabkat.com)

digrouz

Thanks for those informations.

To be sure I understood correctly, dropbox cannot synchronize thoses files right?

Robert

Yes, to our knowledge, all the major cloud storage providers, Dropbox, Google Drive and Microsoft SkyDrive, cannot handle those file and thus cannot synchronize them on the Windows platform.

digrouz

The error message I had was about filename greater than 259 and not 260.

Do you have an idea when this option will be available?

Robert

I expect it to be ready at the end of next week.