Set-Location does not work with some Win32 short paths

[MatejKafka]

Steps to reproduce

# create a directory containing a space (without space, the code works, even with the short path)
$Dir = mkdir "a b"
# get the win32 short name of the directory
$ShortName = (New-Object -ComObject "Scripting.FileSystemObject").GetFolder($Dir).ShortName
$ShortPath = Join-Path $Dir.Parent.FullName $ShortName

& {
    $ErrorActionPreference = "Continue"

    gi $ShortPath # returns the dir object, OK
    ls $ShortPath # no output, OK
    cd $ShortPath # fails
    rm $ShortPath # fails
}

The issue may also happen with other provider cmdlets, did not check anything else for now.

Expected behavior

gi C:\AB2761~1

    Directory: C:\

Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
d----          2024-04-20    22:43                a b

ls C:\AB2761~1

cd C:\AB2761~1

Actual behavior

gi C:\AB2761~1

    Directory: C:\

Mode                 LastWriteTime         Length Name
----                 -------------         ------ ----
d----          2024-04-20    22:43                a b

ls C:\AB2761~1

cd C:\AB2761~1
Set-Location:
Line |
  11 |  cd $ShortPath # throws an exception
     |  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
     | An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.

Error details

Error details

Type                        : System.Management.Automation.CmdletProviderInvocationException
ProviderInvocationException :
    Type           : System.Management.Automation.ProviderInvocationException
    ProviderInfo   : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem
    ErrorRecord    :
        Exception             :
            Type        : System.Management.Automation.PSArgumentException
            ErrorRecord :
                Exception             :
                    Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException
                    Message : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
                    HResult : -2146233087
                CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
                FullyQualifiedErrorId : Argument
            Message     : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
            ParamName   : path
            TargetSite  :
                Name          : NormalizeThePath
                DeclaringType : [Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider]
                MemberType    : Method
                Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
            Source      : System.Management.Automation
            HResult     : -2147024809
            StackTrace  :
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider.NormalizeThePath(String basepath, Stack`1 tokenizedPathStack)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider.NormalizeRelativePathHelper(String path, String basePath)
        CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [], PSArgumentException
        FullyQualifiedErrorId : NormalizeRelativePathHelperArgumentError
    Message        : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
    TargetSite     :
        Name          : ThrowFirstErrorOrDoNothing
        DeclaringType : [System.Management.Automation.CmdletProviderContext]
        MemberType    : Method
        Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
    InnerException :
        Type        : System.Management.Automation.PSArgumentException
        ErrorRecord :
            Exception             :
                Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException
                Message : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
                HResult : -2146233087
            CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
            FullyQualifiedErrorId : Argument
        Message     : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
        ParamName   : path
        TargetSite  :
            Name          : NormalizeThePath
            DeclaringType : [Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider]
            MemberType    : Method
            Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
        Source      : System.Management.Automation
        HResult     : -2147024809
        StackTrace  :
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider.NormalizeThePath(String basepath, Stack`1 tokenizedPathStack)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider.NormalizeRelativePathHelper(String path, String basePath)
    Source         : System.Management.Automation
    HResult        : -2146233087
    StackTrace     :
   at System.Management.Automation.CmdletProviderContext.ThrowFirstErrorOrDoNothing(Boolean wrapExceptionInProviderException)
   at System.Management.Automation.SessionStateInternal.SetLocation(String path, CmdletProviderContext context, Boolean literalPath)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetLocationCommand.ProcessRecord()
   at System.Management.Automation.CommandProcessor.ProcessRecord()
ProviderInfo                : Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem
ErrorRecord                 :
    Exception             :
        Type        : System.Management.Automation.PSArgumentException
        ErrorRecord :
            Exception             :
                Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException
                Message : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
                HResult : -2146233087
            CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
            FullyQualifiedErrorId : Argument
        Message     : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
        ParamName   : path
        TargetSite  :
            Name          : NormalizeThePath
            DeclaringType : [Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider]
            MemberType    : Method
            Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
        Source      : System.Management.Automation
        HResult     : -2147024809
        StackTrace  :
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider.NormalizeThePath(String basepath, Stack`1 tokenizedPathStack)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider.NormalizeRelativePathHelper(String path, String basePath)
    CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [Set-Location], PSArgumentException
    FullyQualifiedErrorId : Argument,Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.SetLocationCommand
    InvocationInfo        :
        MyCommand        : Set-Location
        ScriptLineNumber : 11
        OffsetInLine     : 1
        HistoryId        : 83
        Line             : cd $ShortPath # throws an exception
        Statement        : cd $ShortPath
        PositionMessage  : At line:11 char:1
                           + cd $ShortPath # throws an exception
                           + ~~~~~~~~~~~~~
        InvocationName   : cd
        CommandOrigin    : Internal
    ScriptStackTrace      : at <ScriptBlock>, <No file>: line 11
    PipelineIterationInfo :
              0
              1
TargetSite                  :
    Name          : Invoke
    DeclaringType : [System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase]
    MemberType    : Method
    Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
Message                     : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
Data                        : System.Collections.ListDictionaryInternal
InnerException              :
    Type        : System.Management.Automation.PSArgumentException
    ErrorRecord :
        Exception             :
            Type    : System.Management.Automation.ParentContainsErrorRecordException
            Message : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
            HResult : -2146233087
        CategoryInfo          : InvalidArgument: (:) [], ParentContainsErrorRecordException
        FullyQualifiedErrorId : Argument
    Message     : An object at the specified path C:\AB2761~1 does not exist.
    ParamName   : path
    TargetSite  :
        Name          : NormalizeThePath
        DeclaringType : [Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider]
        MemberType    : Method
        Module        : System.Management.Automation.dll
    Source      : System.Management.Automation
    HResult     : -2147024809
    StackTrace  :
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider.NormalizeThePath(String basepath, Stack`1 tokenizedPathStack)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Commands.FileSystemProvider.NormalizeRelativePathHelper(String path, String basePath)
Source                      : System.Management.Automation
HResult                     : -2146233087
StackTrace                  :
   at System.Management.Automation.Runspaces.PipelineBase.Invoke(IEnumerable input)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.Executor.ExecuteCommandHelper(Pipeline tempPipeline, Exception& exceptionThrown, ExecutionOptions options)

Environment data

Name                           Value
----                           -----
PSVersion                      7.5.0-preview.2
PSEdition                      Core
GitCommitId                    7.5.0-preview.2
OS                             Microsoft Windows 10.0.19045
Platform                       Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions           {1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0…}
PSRemotingProtocolVersion      2.3
SerializationVersion           1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion              3.0

Visuals

No response

[MatejKafka]

Root cause is probably the same as #17359.

[SteveL-MSFT]

cmd.exe also doesn't find the short name and explorer.exe also can't find it. Doesn't seem like a PS specific issue here. Using the .NET API directly to get the DirectoryInfo and then calling GetFiles() also can't find the path.

[batzen]

It's the exact same issue as in #17359.

And i can repro this on my machine.
PS fails, cmd and explorer work.

[SteveL-MSFT]

@batzen this one is NOT the same issue as producing a private that removes the length check doesn't fix this issue

[MatejKafka]

cmd.exe also doesn't find the short name and explorer.exe also can't find it. Doesn't seem like a PS specific issue here. Using the .NET API directly to get the DirectoryInfo and then calling GetFiles() also can't find the path.

But both setting Environment.CurrentDirectory and calling the raw Win32 SetCurrentDirectory function works correctly, and actually changes the process working directory. What does PowerShell do differently from .NET?

[MatejKafka]

Also, at least on my system, explorer.exe understands the path and expands it correctly. Not cmd.exe though, and from a quick trace in API Monitor, it does not even seem to call SetCurrentDirectory (but maybe it's calling some internal ntdll function directly, wouldn't surprise me), so it probably fails early on some internal check.

[SteveL-MSFT]

Unfortunately, my system (Microsoft Windows 10.0.22631) doesn't repro what you are experiencing making it not possible to find root cause or verify any change fixes your problem.

[MatejKafka]

Do you have short paths enabled on the partition you're testing on? (https://stackoverflow.com/questions/18479322/how-to-check-programatically-that-8-3-short-path-name-is-enabled-on-system)

Stack Overflow

How to check programatically that 8.3 short path name is enabled on system?

I know manually we can enable or disable 8.3 short path name support by setting NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation.

But how to read this system information through code? Actually I have to disable some

[MatejKafka]

Oops, apologies, I tested the reproduction code in the root of a drive and forgot to properly insert a directory separator in the path. I fixed it now, please try it again.

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

This issue has been marked as external and has not had any activity for 1 day. It has been be closed for housekeeping purposes.

[microsoft-github-policy-service]

📣 Hey @MatejKafka, how did we do? We would love to hear your feedback with the link below! 🗣️

🔗 https://aka.ms/PSRepoFeedback

Microsoft Forms

[MatejKafka]

Uh, bad bot. Still relevant, please reopen.