Why do I get error that filenames longer than 31 characters are unsupported?

Question

Why do I get error that filenames longer than 31 characters are unsupported?

I have read more than one post on this happening on Mavericks, yet I see nothing that indicates anything other than yep, it is an intermittent problem. To summarize:

When saving a file, or exporting to PDF, or printing to PDF, etc., the filesystem will sometimes throw an exception:

1. Error dialog presents: "Names longer than 31 characters are not supporred on the destination volumne."

2. If the filename is shortened, it is "accepted" yet no file is saved at the destination folder.

3. (In my observation) The previously used destination folder is not remembered for saving/exporting subsequent files. (This seems consistent with the files not actually being saved, despite shorter filenames.

This is very problematic, and it has occurred numerous times. Disk Utility shows no problems with the hard disk (using Verify). Rebooting seems to clear it up (sometimes), but it is pretty silly for a Mac to require a reboot like that (that sounds like Windows).

Any help / response would be appreciated.

Posted on Feb 2, 2014 11:05 AM

Reply

Answer 1

WCB55

Level 1

4 points

Feb 11, 2017 5:39 AM in response to Leslie Worley

I just want to note that this same type of behavior occurred using Yosemite (v10.10.5) to me yesterday when trying to save a pdf from Mail. I also could not transfer data back and forth from my GPS app to my GPS device. I did re-boot and it seems to be fixed. VERY STRANGE!

Reply

Answer 2

Jun 20, 2017 4:21 AM in response to 4norbert

Just quickly tried the method Norbert suggested, many thanks, it seems to have worked. To note, I did not delete the entire Cache folder, just the ones relating to Safari subfolders. It seems to have worked, will do more observation.

Reply

Answer 3

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Feb 2, 2014 11:18 AM in response to Leslie Worley

Is the destination volume internal or external.

Reply

Answer 4

Feb 2, 2014 11:19 AM in response to Csound1

It is internal (Macintosh HD).

Reply

Answer 5

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Feb 2, 2014 1:17 PM in response to Leslie Worley

Restart and try again (reboot)

Reply

Answer 6

Feb 2, 2014 2:08 PM in response to Csound1

Thanks. I was going to reboot, when I discovered it just magically fixed itself.

As I said in my original question:

"Rebooting seems to clear it up (sometimes), but it is pretty silly for a Mac to require a reboot like that (that sounds like Windows)."

Since upgrading to Mavericks, this behavior just starts happening sometimes. To me, rebooting is not a solution. It is a workaround. I'll do it if that is the only answer, of course, but this is what we expect from the Windows OS, not from OS X.

Reply

Answer 7

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Feb 2, 2014 2:11 PM in response to Leslie Worley

OK

Detail please

What application, and is it every file saved by this application or just some. If some are there any common factors involved.

I assume that you do have a backup of this drive in case this is a hard drive problem.?

Reply

Answer 8

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,116 points

Feb 2, 2014 2:13 PM in response to Leslie Worley

Highlight the drive icon on the desktop you're having trouble with. Press Command+I, or choose Get Info from the top menu bar. What (in the exact words shown) does it say for the drive Format?

Reply

Answer 9

Feb 2, 2014 2:51 PM in response to Kurt Lang

Hi Kurt. It shows: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) .

Reply

Answer 10

Feb 2, 2014 2:58 PM in response to Csound1

Most often, I see this when I am using "Print to PDF" or "Export to PDF". Notably but not always from Mail, and usually after having successfully saved a number of documents already. (I save stuff electronically in batches.)

Also, I've had it happen when I am scanning a batch of documents, either to PDF or to JPG, using the Scan Assistant. Again, after one or more has successfully been saved.

I won't say it has never happened from any other application, but once it starts, it seems stuck in this problem (reporting a > 32-character filename, or if shortened the file doesn't actually get saved).

Reply

Answer 11

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Feb 2, 2014 3:44 PM in response to Leslie Worley

What is the Smaart status, and I asked earlier, do you have a backup?

Reply

Answer 12

Feb 2, 2014 4:04 PM in response to Csound1

Hi Csound1, sorry I missed the backup question earlier. Yes, I do have backups, done on an hourly basis (Time Machine). The S.M.A.R.T. status of the disk is is "Verified"..

Reply

Answer 13

Csound1

Level 9

59,973 points

Feb 2, 2014 4:13 PM in response to Leslie Worley

That's good, and I have no more to ask, at least for now, I'll post back when there is something.

Reply

Answer 14

Kurt Lang

Level 9

58,116 points

Feb 3, 2014 9:49 AM in response to Leslie Worley

It shows: Mac OS Extended (Journaled) .

Okay, that's not it. I was wondering if you were using a drive that had long ago been formatted Mac OS Standard and hadn't reformatted it as HFS+ (Extended).

The 31 character limit was an OS 9 and earlier thing. If this app is an old title that has been updated by the vendor over the years for OS X, it could be leftover code in the app that is incorrectly kicking in and cutting you off at the old limit.

Reply

Answer 15

Feb 3, 2014 10:02 AM in response to Kurt Lang

Hi Kurt,

Unfortunately, the app is Mail, as well as Scan Assistant (general print drivers), in Mavericks. rather than an older app. More specifically (but I cannot claim exclusively) when I try use Print as PDF (Mail), Export as PDF (Mail), or just Save/Save As when scanning a document. I'll be humming along doing these things successfully, them suddenly "names longer than 31 charscters are not supported." And even when you shorten them, it appears to accept it but no file is created.

A reboot will "fix" it, and yesterday I left the computer for a while and came back and it had righted itself I guess we'll have to wait for Apple to think this is a big enough problem to fix!

Thanks!

Reply