PRB: SetupWizard Error: "Compression Command Exceeds Limit"

• Microsoft FoxPro Distribution Kit for Windows, versions 2.5, 2.5a, 2.5b, 2.6

SYMPTOMS

If you try running the SetupWizard on an application that is too deep in the directory structure, you will receive the following error message:

   The compression command exceeds the 128 byte DOS limit.
   Try shortening some directory name or put COMPRESS.EXE
   on the DOS Path.

CAUSE

Because MS-DOS is limited to 128 characters for a command line, you cannot run the SetupWizard on a program that is too deep in the directory structure.

When you run the SetupWizard, it uses COMPRESS.EXE to compress all the files to save disk space. COMPRESS.EXE uses the full path and filename for both the source filename and the destination filename. The command line may look something like this:

   COMPRESS -a2 -befl -z710 C:\FOXPROW\GOODIES\FNDATION\EX1.EXE
    C:\FOXPROW\GOODIES\FNDATION\DISKS\COMPRESS\EX1.EX$

RESOLUTION

To work around this problem, move the directory that contains your program files closer to the root directory (for example, use C:\FNDATION instead of C:\FOXPROW\GOODIES\FNDATION).