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[ID-4239165]InDesign fails to open or place files with long paths in Windows

InDesign fails to open or place files with long paths in Windows. The "Long Paths Enabled" registry setting is enabled (i.e. it is set to 1). The problem affects several functions:

  1. From Bridge, Place > In Indesign causes "Script Alert: Error: Expected a reference to an existing File/Folder"

  2. DataMerge in InDesign: images with long paths are skipped, i.e. aren't merged. There is no error message.

  3. From InDesign. I cannot manually place a file with a long path through the “Place” dialog box. The dialog box will display the folder and thumbnails, but when I click the image to place it, I get the following error: “The file could not be opened. You may not have permission or the file may be in use by another application.”

All of these symptoms suggests that InDesign does not support Long Paths in Windows.

InDesign 2021 16.2.1 x64
Windows 10 Home 64-bit

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  • JRom commented  ·   ·  Report

    This issue desperately needs attention from Adobe. Other CC apps (except for Bridge) seem to be unaffected by this, so it's just the InDesign and Bridge teams slacking, considering Windows flipped this default back in 2016.

    Opening or saving files in deep folders throws the error shown in the screenshot.

  • Phab Guy commented  ·   ·  Report

    This issue also seems to affect Bridge CC and thus other applications in CC. For example, try this:

    1. Using Bridge, locate a file in deep folder hierarchy. The path including file name needs to be > 260 charaters.
    2. Right click the image file.
    3. Choose Place > In Photoshop
    4. ERROR: Script Alert: Error: Expected a reference to an existing File/Folder.

    NOTES:
    1. Long Paths are enabled on this PC, confirmed in the Registry.
    2. The Photoshop is Photoshop 2021, latest release.
    3. Photoshop *CAN* open this same image through its own dialog box.

    My conclusion is that Bridge also has a problem with Long Path filenames on Windows.

  • Phab Guy commented  ·   ·  Report

    FYI, this is my bug report. I posted it before "signing up" for InDesign User Voice.

    The lack of long path support has a number of consequences for InDesign users on Windows. E.g.
    - My standard Job management folder structure has 3 levels organized by years and job numbers. Within that, I maintain all the suppled files for each job. If my client supplies their assets within their own hierarchical folder structure, I want to maintain that for consistency. Thus, it is easy enough to exceed 260 characters.
    - Packages shipped between systems could trigger a problem. Just placing a package into an existing hierarchical folder structure could cause that package to be unloadable by InDesign on that system.

    My workaround plan is to rename and move all the assets for my current job. It involves 300 images and captions which I want to load with Data Merge. This is going to create a longer term asset management issue, so I hope Adobe will fix this issue right away.

    This is not a typical "feature" or "enhancement" request. This is asking Adobe to correctly and fully support the file system it is running on.

    Thanks for your consideration.

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