Get the Long File Name from the Short File Name

Posted on April 24, 2014November 29, 2014 by Alan

I get some reports which give the path to files as an 8.3 DOS “short” file name, filled with tildes and numbers, such as “c:\progra~2\wid6e1~1\v3.5\sqmapi.dll” for the file “c:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Identity Foundation\v3.5\SqmApi.dll”. It is easy to go from the long file name to the short file name with a script. What is less easy is to go the other way, especially when the file is on another computer.

GetLongFileName.vbs is a vbscript which converts the short file name to a long file name on a local or remote computer. It requires admin rights if the file is on another computer. The code is interesting because is leverages a temporary shortcut. It was not my idea, but the original URL I had for the file on MyITForum is no longer valid.

Script Text

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All the scripts are saved as .txt files. Newer files have a “View Script” button which will let you save or open a script in notepad. For earlier posts, the easiest way to download with IE is to right click on the link and use “Save Target As”. Rename file from Name_ext.txt to Name.ext.

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PowerShell Scripts were written with version 3 or later.

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