SUMMARY
When you create a directory on a network server from a LAN Manager MS-DOS
workstation, the directory path name cannot exceed the MS-DOS limit of 66
characters. This limit must also include the characters in share point (the
server name, the share name, and backslash separating them).
Windows for Workgroups clients do not have the same limitation: they can
create a directory path up to 65 characters (not 66) without including the
share point.
Any directory on the server with a path longer than 66 characters including
share point (for LAN Manager) cannot be accessed from a LAN Manager client
at the MS-DOS prompt. Windows File Manager lets you access such directories
even though it does not let you create them.
With this 66 limitation, assigning a server and share shorter names allows
MS-DOS to access a longer subdirectory path.
EXAMPLE
For servername SERVER and sharename LANMAN.
net use x: \\SERVER\LANMAN
x:
mkdir appls
mkdir appls\netaldus
mkdir appls\netaldus\usenglsh
mkdir appls\netaldus\usenglsh\addition
mkdir appls\netaldus\usenglsh\addition\template
mkdir appls\netaldus\usenglsh\addition\template\caldates
When you have done this, you will see that you cannot create any more
subdirectories, even though the directory name has only 53 characters.
X:\APPLS\NETALDUS\USENGLSH\ADDITION\TEMPLATE\CALDATES
12345678901234567890123456789012345678901234567890123 = 53
This is because the 66-character MS-DOS limit includes both the 53
character directory name and the 13 characters in the share point name.
SERVER\LANMAN
1234567890123 =13