Description
This article will cover general file naming tips and what to avoid.
Requirements
- A Workplace Customer
The Process
Workplace does not have any character limits for file names, but Operating Systems do have limitations on the use of certain characters and file/directory path lengths.
We recommend that you keep directory lengths under 255 characters.
- Maximum directory path length of 255 characters for Windows
- Maximum file name length of 255 characters for Mac
If you use characters in your naming conventions, please verify your file and folder names adhere to the limitations, including character conventions, of all the Operating Systems used by your company.
If you use a special character when naming a file in Workplace Online, or if you use of the special characters that Mac supports that Windows doesn't, it will automatically be replaced on the machine that doesn't support it with an underscore.
For example, if you create "1>2<3*special.png" on a Mac, a file by the same name will be created on Workplace Online. This file will sync to a Windows machine, but it will be called "1_2_3_special.png". The system will remember this exception, so it will continue to sync with "1>2<3*special.png" on the server.
A special character is a letter or symbol that cannot be used in file names because it is being utilised in another location or by the operating system.
Special characters for Macintosh OS x and later:
- : (colon)
- . (dot/period) *hidden when a filename starts with "." In all other instances, this character is acceptable
- / (forward slash)
Special characters for Windows
- < (less than)
- > (greater than)
- : (colon)
- " (quote)
- / (forward slash)
- \ (backlash)
- | (vertical bar)
- ? (question mark)
- * (asterisk)
- ^ (caret) *FAT
The safest approach is to completely avoid using special characters.