How To Convert A Long Filename To A Short Filename
Sometimes it may be desirable to convert a long filename to a short filename, for example when working with the command prompt. A few simple rules can be followed to attain the correct 8.3 filename.
1. A SFN filename can have at most 8 characters before the dot. If it has more than that, you should write the first 6, then put a tilde ~ as the seventh character and a number (usually 1) as the eighth. The number distinguishes it from other files with both the same first six letters and the same extension.
2. Dots are important and must be used even for folder names (if there is a dot in the folder name). If there are multiple dots in the long file/directory name, only the last one is used. The preceding dots should be ignored. If there are more characters than three after the final dot, only the first three are used.
3. Generally:
- Any spaces in the filenames should be ignored when converting to SFN.
- Ignore all dots except the last one. Leave out the other dots, just like the spaces.
- Commas and square brackets are changed to underscores.
- Case is not important, upper case and lower case characters are treated equally.
To find out for sure the SFN or 8.3 names of the files in a directory
use: "dir /x" shows the short names if there is one, and the long names.
or : "dir /-n" shows only the short names, in the original DIR listing format.
Read more about this topic: 8.3 Filename
Famous quotes containing the words convert, long and/or short:
“I know that two and two make four—& should be glad to prove it too if I could—though I must say if by any sort of process I could convert 2 & 2 into five it would give me much greater pleasure.”
—George Gordon Noel Byron (1788–1824)
“It is marvelous indeed to watch on television the rings of Saturn close; and to speculate on what we may yet find at galaxy’s edge. But in the process, we have lost the human element; not to mention the high hope of those quaint days when flight would create “one world.” Instead of one world, we have “star wars,” and a future in which dumb dented human toys will drift mindlessly about the cosmos long after our small planet’s dead.”
—Gore Vidal (b. 1925)
“The child-rearing years are relatively short in our increased life span. It is hard for young women caught between diapers and formulas to believe, but there are years and years of freedom ahead. I regret my impatience to get on with my career. I wish I’d relaxed, allowed myself the luxury of watching the world through my little girl’s eyes.”
—Eda Le Shan (20th century)