[comp.os.os2.misc] HPFS Long Filenames and FAT

steveha@microsoft.UUCP (Steve HASTINGS) (06/14/91)

In article <13213@aggie.ucdavis.edu> s142029@fred.ucdavis.edu writes:
>     You have created a file on HPFS with filename abcdefghihj.klmnop.qrstuv,
>on you hard disk.  But then there's no way for you to back it up on the floppy
>with the original name.  So you save it with abcdefgh.klm .  So what's the use
>of HPFS anyway?

1) HPFS is useful, even if all you ever use are 8.3 filenames.  I typically
use 8.3 filenames, just so it will be as easy as possible to copy files to
other drives (DOS volumes, etc.)  With HPFS, you have much faster disk
access.  My compiles run much faster on HPFS than FAT, and faster still on
HPFS386.  Plus, you get much more efficient file storage on large hard
disks; the internal fragmentation for files is much smaller.

2) BACKUP and RESTORE can stash long filename files on a floppy, keeping
the names intact when you RESTORE the files back onto the HPFS volume.

3) File Manager can copy long filename files to a FAT volume, converting the
long name to a legal 8.3 name.  It also stashes the complete long filename
in the Extended Attributes for the file.  (FAT volumes can have Extended
Attributes; they are kept in a hidden file.)  Then, later, you can use File
Manager to copy the file onto another HPFS volume, and the full name will
come back.  This is in the online manual, under the COPY command; I found
it quickly by using the help Search command, and looking for HPFS.
-- 
Steve "I don't speak for Microsoft" Hastings    ===^=== :::::
uunet!microsoft!steveha  steveha@microsoft.uucp    ` \\==|