By using a process called tunneling, Windows 95 preserves long filenames for files that are opened and saved using an application that does not recognize long filenames. Tunneling preserves long filenames on the local computer as well as files accessed across the network.
Tunneling is supported for any file system that IFSMGR recognizes. The file system in turn must "authorize" tunneling to allow its use in that file system. Tunneling is authorized automatically with VFAT.
Correct network tunneling is the responsibility of the server — that is, the server must be configured to support long filenames. A server running any edition of Windows NT 3.5 or Windows 95 file and printer sharing services will preserve long filenames. For example, a user who is running Windows for Workgroups might open and save a file on a peer server that is running file and printer sharing services (for either Microsoft networks or NetWare networks). In this case, the long filename will be preserved by the file system on the peer server, because the peer server uses IFSMGR and VFAT to store the data.
The following sections provide details about long filename support on various networks.
Windows 95 protected-mode network clients (Client for Microsoft Networks and Client for NetWare Networks) support long filenames. If the network server that the computer is connected to supports long filenames, then Windows 95 can read, create, and copy local long-filename files on the network share. On some servers, the length of filenames, restricted characters, and the algorithm for creating 8.3 filenames from long filenames might differ from those under Windows 95.
Client for Microsoft Networks does not authorize tunneling, so tunneling is not used to preserve long filenames on down-level servers connected through the Windows 95 client (for example, a computer running Windows for Workgroups or LAN Manager Services). However, Microsoft Client for NetWare Networks does authorize tunneling, so tunneling can preserve long filenames in connections to older NetWare servers when running Client for NetWare Networks.
Windows 95 can access files on HPFS or NTFS partitions on remote drives. However, there is no built-in support in the release of Windows 95 for adding either of these file systems as another installable file system under Windows 95. Therefore, Windows 95 cannot access either an HPFS or NTFS partition on a local disk drive by using the file system drivers provided with Windows 95. (Other vendors, however, can add HPFS support.)
Please note the following interoperability exceptions for other file systems:
Long filenames can be used on computers running file and printer sharing services and can be viewed on computers using protected-mode Windows 95 network clients. Real-mode network clients running under Windows 95 can see only the 8.3 filename aliases.
If Windows 95 has been configured with File and Printer Sharing for NetWare Networks, any MS-DOS – based NetWare clients using NETX or VLM will see 8.3 filenames computers using Client for NetWare Networks can see long filenames.
Long filenames are supported for NetWare servers if the server is configured to use the OS/2 name space. For information, see Chapter 9, "Windows 95 on NetWare Networks."
Note
Older Microsoft or Microsoft-compatible clients (for example, LAN Manager, Workgroup Add-on for MS-DOS, Windows for Workgroups, and so on) cannot use shared folders that have long filenames. These older network clients might have problems connecting to and using a shared directory with a long filename as the directory name. Defining a short share name does not correct this problem.
HPFS and HPFS/386 partitions on LAN Manager OS/2-based computers have a maximum filename length of 254 characters and use the 8.3 filename alias on the first instance. For example:
longfilenameold.tst --> longfile.tst
longfilenamenew.tst --> longfil0.tstLong filenames on a LAN Manager server with HPFS or HPFS/386 partitions are supported and viewable by Windows 95 protected-mode network clients. Real-mode network clients can see only the 8.3 filename aliases.
LAN Manager workstations with HPFS or HPFS/386 cannot see Windows 95 long filenames. The LAN Manager workstation software has no awareness of the long filename-over-FAT file scheme used by Windows 95.
Support for long filenames on FAT volumes is identical in Windows NT 3.5 and Windows 95. Therefore, a computer with dual-boot capabilities for Windows NT 3.5 and Windows 95 can see long filenames on local FAT volumes by using both operating systems.
HPFS partitions exist on Windows NT computers only in the case of an upgrade over OS/2. Filenames on Windows NT 3.1 HPFS partitions have a maximum filename length of 254 characters and use the 8.3 filename alias on the first instance. For example:
longfilenameold.tst --> longfile.tst
longfilenamenew.tst --> longfil0.tstFilenames on Windows NT 3.1 NTFS partitions have a maximum filename length of 255 characters and use the 8.3 filename alias on the first instance. For example:
longfilenameold.tst --> longfi~1.tst
longfilenamenew.tst --> longfi~2.tstLong filenames on shared Windows NT 3.1 HPFS and NTFS partitions are supported and viewable by Windows 95 protected-mode network clients. Real-mode network clients can see only the 8.3 filename aliases.
Windows NT 3.1 computers cannot see Windows 95 long filenames. Windows NT 3.1 has no awareness of the long filename-over-FAT file scheme used by Windows 95.