Office 365 -- OneDrive -- Shortening File Paths Tips
Introduction
If a file or sub-folder is buried deep within multiple other folders and sub-folders, and the entire file directory path name (for example: C:/folder/sub-folder/sub-sub-folder.../file.docx) is larger 256 characters or more, the file or sub-folder will probably not upload.
One way to shorten the file path is to move the file or folder to the top of your hard drive's directory or folder tree, and upload the file or folder through the OneDrive web portal.
On Macs, that replaces "/Users/mjg88/Desktop/OneDrive - drexel.edu/" in a folder path name with "/" and give you back at least 40 characters. ("mjg88" is an example Mac computer user name.)
This loses the ability to auto-sync these files and folders, but they will be safely stored in OneDrive, and you could download them if needed.
Mac Instructions using an Example
Suppose you installed OneDrive on your Mac, and OneDrive said the following file or folder "path" is too long.
/Users/mjg88/Desktop/OneDrive - drexel.edu/from Old Mac/archives/April2015/Courses/AdvCSII/grading/Fall2014/Placement2014/Programming-AssignmentSubmissions-2014-Nov-22-07-19-02.zip/CS 388 Placement (Smelly Bellies)-Phillip Glass - 123456789012/Smelly Bellies (Phillip Glass)
Note the following about this file or folder "path."
- In this example, the file or folder "path" is 274 characters long. This includes blank spaces.
- Your Mac userid (after "/Users/") will not be "mjg88". You Mac userid will appear in place of "mjg88" (without quotes).
- "Desktop" contains everything you see on your Mac computer display when no windows or applications are open.
- Your "One Drive" folder named differently and in a different location.
- Or you may not have installed "OneDrive" on your Mac, and you don't have a Drexel "OneDrive" folder.
- But you could easily have folders with other names and purposes on your Mac "Desktop".
- "OneDrive - drexel.edu" is the Drexel "OneDrive" folder that is set to sync with OneDrive.
- "from Old Mac" is a sub-folder within the "OneDrive - drexel.edu" folder.
- "archives" is a sub-sub-folder within the "from Old Mac" sub-folder.
1. Enter your "OneDrive" folder and/or a "Finder" window, then navigate to and enter the "from Old Mac" sub-folder.
(a) Again, remember that this is an example.
(a) So, in a real life scenario, you would want to navigate to the folder containing the sub-folder you want to upload to OneDrive.
2. Click the "View" menu at the top of the Mac display, and click "Show Path Bar."
(a) If "Hide Path Bar" appears in the "View" menu instead, that's great. It means the "Path Bar" is already showing.
3. Open a 2nd new "Finder" window, and click "Documents" in the left panel.
4. Double-click "SSD" (or "Mac HD" or "Macintosh HD" or the hard drive icon) in the "Path Bar" at the bottom of the "Document" window.
5. You would now have 2 "Finder" windows open. 1 for your hard drive or SSD (solid-state drive), and 1 for your "from Old Mac" folder.