Generate Image assets path too long - Photoshop on macOS

[jennylevey]

Hey I have been trying to use the generator image asset tool, my artboard name is slightly long e.g
DK-abc-commweb-bnr-con-mgs1, however it needs to be this long for work purposes. Previously it didn't seem to be a problem however now when I save and check the assets folder I am told the path is too long. It seems to allow less and less as I go on, any ideas why this is or how to resolve it?

{Thread renamed by moderator}

[Sahil.Chawla]

Hi Jenny,

Could you please let us know the version of Photoshop and the operating system you're working on?

Also, could you please tell us the exact name of the file, so that we can try reproducing the error at our end?

We're here to help, just need more information.

Regards,
Sahil

[Stephen_A_Marsh · Accepted solution]

Curious how many characters the path is, which would be the entire file system path to the assets folder plus the file names/extensions.

Try generating to a directory closer to the root of your drive to shorten the path while retaining the required name.

Good luck!

[koswalt]

This is a work-around. If Adobe was in-tune with their customers, they would know that we work on a vast variety of projects and therefore need a lot of folders to keep everything organized. In theory, being able to generate files this way is a huge time saver. In reality, it's a huge headache because we're forced to work around a ridiculous constraint like this.

Adobe, we have folder paths that are very long because we need to be very organized. Please allow for longer extensions! 

[Test Screen Name]

Spam of "long path tool". This happens regularly.

[julieh77819645]

I am having the same issue. I open files created by another designer. It creates the assets for her, but not by me on my mac.

Why aren't the file names too long for her, but too long on mine?

File name: 40681 NZ Brand Refresh Emarsys eDM - Abandon Browser.jpg

Does anyone have a solution to this?

My mac: 10.13.6 / CC2020

Her mac: 10.13.3 / CC2020

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

It is the entire file path, not just the file name. Try putting them in a location that is shorter than the current path.

[Debannes]

I am having this same issue HOWEVER, it randomly just started yesterday (2/1/2021) or at least that was the first day I noticed it. I have not changed my file setup on my system in any way. It worked perfectly previously and now files that used to automatically generate the assets no longer do unless I move the file to my desktop which is terribly inconvenient. Any suggestions at to why the path used to work and no longer does? My jobs folder is nested on my system but not that deep (Mactintosh HD > Useres > home > OneDrive > Jobs Folder > and then nested by Client Name and Job Name). The location of my jobs folder has not changed since I bought my computer over 2 years ago and can't since I am synced to OneDrive and do not want to have to resend invites to colleagues if I were to change the location, so I am baffled why all of a sudden files that used to work fine and are in the same location no longer generate and all new files are throwing the same error. Did Adobe shorten the length of the path they allow...do we know what the max length of the path needs to be within? This is an older thread so if they did shorten the path length i do not understand why it didnt affect me until now.

[Debannes]

shoot, I meant 2/1/2022, so sorry, havent gotten the hang of writing the new year yet!

[matta19023940]

Exact same issue and time frame for me. Same extensive deep folder needs for projects as well. The workaround has been to generate the assets on desktop and then copy over to server, but this needs to be fixed because it was working just fine.

[Debannes]

Hi Matta, I got my IT department involved a bit. We did find out that the Monterey OS update changed the location of any cloud storage folders on your system (it is now nested in your User > Library > Cloud Storage > OneDrive) the original location was changed to an shortcut/alias foldeer, we think this may have caused the issue but I have still yet to figure out a fix, as I do not believe my OneDrive folder can be moved from this new location that was dictated by the OS update. And the path isn't too different from where I had it originally so still not sure WHY it thinks the path is too long, or what that limit is. Like you, I am forced to copy the file to my desktop to generate the assets and then copy that folder back over to my Jobs folder...EVERY TIME. It is a pain and I hope there is a fix soon but now I am wondering if it is an Apple issue due to the location change and not an Adobe issue...? Regardless, with every update to either my OS or Photoshop, I keep hoping the issue will be resolved. So far no luck.

[matta19023940]

I'm on Big Sur OS still. So it's possible that this is not Monterey OS issue. I received a new laptop back in September. I thought that the recent occurence was the result of creating one folder "too deep" to cause the issue, but couldn't be sure. My experience of it occurs with file & folders on Google Drive. 

[barrya]

I'm also having this issue. It's a bummer because I've incorporated Adobe Photoshop's Generate as a part of my workflow, but this kills it. PLEASE adobe fix this so we can use this in areas with longer file paths.

[mandaringo]

Having the same problem, I'm on Monterey 12.6.1 / Photoshop 23.5.3. After eliminating letters one-by-one managed to find out that PS generates the asset if the path is maximum 254 characters long (with the filename and extension included) - anything above that results in error. 

[barrya]

It's really too bad. It totally kills my workflow as I'll need to move a Photoshop file into another spot just to use Generate. I have so many hacks lately just to use photoshop, it's really too bad.

[matthewg84727483]

I want to add onto this to try amplify the issue. It's a big deal for me and my teams workflow as well.

As game developers we often we have to export multiple texture files out to Unity with multiple variations of texture files and Save As or Quick Export as [type] is just way to slow

Generate has saved us countless hours and allowed us to make quick iterations and maintain a clean and consisten file pipline. But the path limit really just destroys that workflow when we begin using network drives to share files. On top of that often the destination paths into the games engines can get a but long eg:
C:\Unity Projects\mygame\Assets\Art\Models\Characters\Enemies\Wraiths\Textures/Wraith_Green_Albedo_1.png

This ontop of the source destination means we encounter this error constantly. 

It really is a shame, it seems like such a weird limitation in this day and age. We're resorting to custom JS scripts to try get around it. Honeslty would be happy to share if we figure it out - But it definetly wont be as fast or clean as Generate. 

[edwin.psd]

Using Photoshop 2023 on an M1 Mac Mini running Mac OS Ventura 13.0.1

I have the same issue, It only lets me genereate assets with up to 6 characters before the file extension. 

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Using Photoshop 2023 on an M1 Mac Mini running Mac OS Ventura 13.0.1

I have the same issue, It only lets me genereate assets with up to 6 characters before the file extension. 

By @edwin.psd

The entire path is too long, which is why you can only get 6 chars + file extension. You'll need to save to a directory path that is shorter than the current path.

[edwin.psd]

Weird thing, I open the same PSD file, and all of a sudden, Generate assets works perfectly fine

[Damon22068032v2ou]

This is not an acceptable work around. Please stop suggesting it as such.

[barrya]

Adobe! Please know that in a professional environment, file and folder names are sometimes long and the location path of these files gets long. These are the power users who rely on Photoshop to do it's job. PLEASE fix Adobe Generate and allow us to save assets in any location!

[Cosmo1972]

Please fix this, Adobe! I never had this issue until today (2/5/24). Generate Assets is incorporated into the workflow of my department and it is impossible to have every designer keep images on their desktops as these generated images are incorporated into all documentation created in InDesign and Illustrator. And must be accessed by everyone. This is a ridiculous limitation that needs to be removed. Please. 

[Larry29731486lwom]

Artboards aren't something I've used before, but discovering it for the first time now and this limitation immediately showed up. It's hard to believe this is really a thing, especially when so many other Adobe apps with a similar style collecting/referencing files have no constraints on file paths.

[Lumigraphics]

There are hard limits depending on a lot of things- operating system, application, drive format, local vs cloud, etc.

Keep in mind that CLOUD STORAGE IS NOT SUPPORTED and that these pathname limits have changed over the years.

If you get an error, you have to use shorter names. That simple, I know that not everyone likes to accept technical realities.

[mandaringo]

No, this is simply not acceptable. We are paying our hard earned money for Adobe, and this particular problem is an issue for years, that they are unable - or rather unwilling - to solve. We are working in a professional environment, often with strict requirements regarding the workflow and filenames. Most of the time is not up to us how we name a file - is named in a certain way and stored in a certain folder for a reason. As I wrote earlier in this thread: the entire path is limited to 254 characters (on the local drive). Don't tell me that in this age this is a technical reality we need to accept, when at the same time they introduce a ton of useless, shiny features every second week. Ridiculous.