How to allow longer filenames

[paulz...@gmail.com]

Bill,

I just did a new installation of DW on a new laptop, and I'm getting the "file name too long" message.  You told me how to change the database to allow for longer filenames than what DanceMaster permits, but I can't find the email anymore.  So, I thought I'd ask here on the forum so others can benefit - and so you won't have to answer this question for me again (I hope)!

Thanks,

Paul

[Bill Davenport]

Hi Paul,

The safest way to do this is to export all of your dances to dance modules and then use DanceWizard to create a new database. Databases created by DanceWizard (which are not compatible with DanceMaster) have larger field sizes (for many items including the file names). Once the new database is created import all of the dance modules you previously created. You can see the specific sizes at https://dancewizard.net/topics/database.html#field-sizes.

A less safe approach would be the edit the database file using Microsoft Access. Each of the fields in the database records has a maximum size set in the database. Simply changing these values in the database will make it such that DanceWizard will use the larger fields. If you plan to do this make sure to first create a backup copy of the database file.

The next major update to DanceWizard will have the ability to update the database for larger sizes (and will offer to do so when installed). I was previously calling this version 1.2 but given the large number of changes I've currently implemented this will likely be called version 2.0.

Thanks,

Bill

[mjf...@yahoo.com]

Thanks for this Bill.  I’ve been considering doing this – the DM field sizes drive me nuts sometimes.  But one question I’ve had is about sharing modules after this kind of conversion.  If I have longer file names, etc then will it be possible to share a module with someone who is still using DanceMaster?

 

Mike

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[Bill Davenport]

Hi Mike,

Great question. When DanceWizard creates a dance module it puts the files (and information about the dance like name) into the format that DanceMaster expects (the filenames and other fields like dance name get truncated to the standard lengths expected by DanceMaster). In addition to this DanceWizard also places additional information into the dance module so that other DanceWizard users can get the full field sizes if their database was updated for the larger field sizes. If their database doesn't support the larger sizes then fields get truncated as needed to fit in the database.

The short answer is it should work as expected when sending the dance module to other cuers using either DanceMaster or DanceWizard.

Bill

[paulz...@gmail.com]

Here's a detailed breakdown of the "less safe approach":

1. Run Microsoft Access
2. Do Open … find the .mdb file
3. RC on "Dances" in the left side panel.  Select "Design View"
4. Find the desired field in the "Field Name" column, then click on the corresponding "Data Type".
5. A new window on the bottom will open.  Change the first entry ("Field Size") from 80 to 255
6. Do this for all the fields you want to make longer
7. Do File > Close
8. Exit Access

Note: if you keep your DW database on onedrive, like I do, Access will flat refuse to let you edit it, insisting that you make a local copy and edit that (but I LIKE playing with fire!).   Then, you have to copy the local version back over to onedrive, changing the file extension to boot (from .accdb to .mdb).

So, yeah, being able to do this from within DW would be a great idea!

Paul