Long file path issues in Windows 11 Pro with Microsoft VS Code and File Explorer

I have an update from Microsoft! But, you're not going to like it....

They told me to try that Group Policy thing:

"Can you please check with the Group Policy for the long path enabled, which is present over

System Configuration>Administration Template>System>File System then please select enable longs path to open it."

But, the good news, they also said: "We have checked the same at our end and it's having the same scenario."

So, it's possible that they've reproduced the issue. I've asked for clarification, and pointed out that the group policy thing didn't work.

It's unfortunate that the VM I ran their logging stuff on used the registry setting trick to enable long path support. Turns out that if you go with the group policy trick then that'll also set the registry key, but not vice versa.

Maybe they'll get back to me in another 6 weeks with a new update. Wow, it's been 6 weeks!

I'm amazed this is broken, even on Windows 11 pro 22H2

It worked fine on my last Windows 10 pro machine

Setting with regedit: BROKEN

Setting with group policy: BROKEN

Setting with M365 configuration: BROKEN

It should be on by default!

And it should work...

I'm amazed this is broken, even on Windows 11 pro 22H2

It worked fine on my last Windows 10 pro machine

Setting with regedit: BROKEN

Setting with group policy: BROKEN

Setting with M365 configuration: BROKEN

It should be on by default!

And it should work...

Recently it's been broken on W10 as well though.

Not quite the same as W11, since apps can apparently still write the files (unlike W11, where my C# app just died when it tried to write that file).

But WinExplorer on my W10 (Home) laptop ... naaaah ... not happening anymore. Only have RegEdit for that one, no GPEdit.

There it's broken in an annoying way too. The file is there, I can literally see it ... but if you try to rename, it won't work ... it won't let you type any characters anymore to 'add' and the 'save' just doesn't go through even if you've removed characters.
Work around there is to then move the file to the root of some HDD path, rename it there & move it back.

Anyway, max 260 characters is truly 80's level shizzle dudes, so it's a pain that such a basic feature doesn't work.

You had me worried for a moment there. I just checked on my Window 10 box. It's running latest: 22H2 build 19045.2486.

I can still create deep folders and read/write files in those deep folders. All via ISE powershell.

Granted: Windows explorer is not long path enabled. So, you're right: you cannot use windows explorer for doing useful stuff in those deep folders.

My own applications are long path enabled via the manifest I build them with. Was going to paste a sample manifest here, but it won't let me. It's pretty easy to google for a sample manifest to enable long path aware applications. The file APIs are somewhat limited for the long path stuff, but I managed to port all my file i/o accesses to the long path APIs.

Ok. Final update from my trouble ticket with Microsoft:

"Hope you are doing well,

We have checked the same on our Windows 11 environment and unfortunately due to product limitations the long path enabled does work on the scenario

that you have been facing.

You can post the same on feedback hub, so that next time when a patch will be released, this feature may get an update.

You can find the feedback hub, by clicking on the start menu and type feedback hub and select the category accordingly."

So, the first couple of times I read that, I thought it said that they reproduced the issue. But, reading it again I think it says the opposite.

Good luck finding a feedback hub issue on long paths that has a lot of up votes. LOL, they're probably using bing as their search engine🤦‍♀️