Python utility convert Windows long file name into 8.3 DOS format

[vincent wehren]

Steve Holden wrote:
> vincent wehren wrote:
> 
>> Simon Brunning wrote:
>>
>>> On Thu, 28 Oct 2004 10:55:16 +0200, vincent wehren
>>> <vincent at visualtrans.de> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Just note that GetShortPathName expects a valid and accessible path in
>>>> your file system.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Which is just as it should be. Files that don't exist don't *have*
>>> short names. One might be able to put together a function that
>>> *guesses* what short name Windows would be likely to give a new file
>>> with a given long name, but it would be pretty unreliable, I reckon.
>>>
>>
>> Exactly. And on top of that, there may be situations where files that 
>> *do* exist *don't* have a 8.3 alias, making any such guesswork even 
>> harder. So in retrospect, the correct answer to OP's question should 
>> be: "No. There is no conversion utility", as the relationship between 
>> long name - short name is not on of a-to-b conversion.
>>
> well that's new information to me, so thanks - I just assumed that any 
> long filename could be munged. But I think that it's just useful 
> additional information rather than the "correct answer", since by itself 
> it would have been rather less than helpful to the OP :-)

I guess sleep deprivation has given rise to a little wickedness in my 
writing. I forget to "wink" ;) ;)

Apart from that, you won't hear me claim any authoritativeness on the 
subject of Windows file names - long or short - either - I just blindly 
trust MSDN!  ;)

Regards,

--
Vincent Wehren



> 
> regards
>  Steve