Install location folder structure too deep

[rreid]

We have had this problem with the last few upgrades where the network installation location that we store the package in has too deep of a folder structure to install on a workstation.  With BDS, we have to literally put the install package on the root of a portable drive and sneaker net it to computers for install.  The folder structure on that one is so deep that i couldn't get it to install from a network location at all.

Has anyone else had this issue?  Is there a workaround?  Adesk packages are getting obnoxiously big.  

[TravisNave]

Your installation UNC path should only consist of \\servername\sharename. 

You can still use any deep root pathing that you desire or require per ISO, or other standards.  However, when you get down to the last folder, simply share it instead of the top level one.  That way you still have your folder structure organized physically, but the actual UNC path is no longer a problem. 

Thus \\servername\sharename could physically exist on E:\usa\colorado\denver\buildinga\engineering\cadsoftware\autodesk\network\2013\bds and it won't cause a problem for you.  Share the last bds folder in addition to the already shared usa, for example, and you'll be all set.  Point your users to the correct UNC path and go.  Just make sure that your deployment is modified to show the correct pathing.

Good luck!

[rreid]

That makes sense.  But then i have an individual share for each package installation.  And i have to maintain these indefinately as the uninstall looks for the package files as well.

Currently we have an applicationinstalls share that we use, but apparently \\servername\applicationinstalls\BDS_2013\ is still too long for BDS 2013 to install.  We literally cant get it to work unless it is driveletter:\BDS-2013

I just wonder why the folder structure has to be so deep that this a problem.  

[TravisNave]

Your shared name doesn't have to match the actual folder path name.  You can share a name as anything you want.  Share just the BDS-2013 path or share the applicationinstalls path as a sharename of apps. 

As for me, I always have an individual share for each application.  That's the point of sharing folders.  If you're sharing a top level folder and then required to traverse it farther, you're not really utilizing the point of sharing.  You might as well not even share at all.  Sharing the folder is meant to get straight to the point on your UNC path.  Otherwise, you'd just use the administrative drive letter $ share.