Shadow Lord
Veteran Member
O.K. I know this has been discussed before but I still don't get it: What does it take for pure DOS to support LFNs? Note that I am not asking about how to make a LFN work on a particular installation of DOS but the general requirements for it? I.E. does it have to be built into the Kernel? The Command Processor (i.e. command.com)? The underlying file system? Something else?
I am guessing it is not the files system because you can create long filenames on FAT12/FAT16 drives (e.g. floppies) with NT. I am also pretty sure the command processor is out because the same command processor will do LFNs sometimes and not other times (e.g. booting to DOS under Win95 has no LFN support but opening a DOS command prompt does).
So what are the prerequisites? Does it have to be built into the Kernel? If so why can't a "modern" DOS (i.e. FreeDOS) just do LFN out of the box w/o loading a TSR?
I am sure I am just overthinking it and it is real simple but... TIA! :eh:
I am guessing it is not the files system because you can create long filenames on FAT12/FAT16 drives (e.g. floppies) with NT. I am also pretty sure the command processor is out because the same command processor will do LFNs sometimes and not other times (e.g. booting to DOS under Win95 has no LFN support but opening a DOS command prompt does).
So what are the prerequisites? Does it have to be built into the Kernel? If so why can't a "modern" DOS (i.e. FreeDOS) just do LFN out of the box w/o loading a TSR?
I am sure I am just overthinking it and it is real simple but... TIA! :eh:
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