In EndNote X7, the PDF filename limitation is set to 46 characters. If the file name of PDF attachment is more than 46 characters, it will be truncated. However, this wasn’t the case in EndNote X5. In order to label a publication properly, normally more than 46 characters are needed. It would be helpful if the limitation of characters of a file name can be increased, as it was in former EndNote versions.
The problem with long file names is that the underlying Windows operating system has a filename limit and this limit includes the entire folder path, so if a user has their endnote library in username/my endnote library 2015 folder/endnote libraryconverted.DATA and the PDFs themselves are in that folder, in a folder called PDF in a folder for each record and another folder for reasons I don’t understand, and then the name… it gets long (limit is something like 250). Then if you move the library and its .DATA folder to the desktop, a whole invisible prelude to the above… things break. – you have the option of renaming PDFs in endnote to a number of optionss that should help you manage them.
I don’t work for the endnote folks, just know the pitfalls of PDF names that are too long.
Thanks for your comments Leanne
Let me explain the topic more in detail. In order to find and handle an attached scientific paper without Endnote, its filename should show some features. The filename should include 3-4 keywords (approx. 50 characters), abbreviation of journal & year of publication (8 characters) and the names of two major authors (approx. 20 characters). Thus one will usually end with approx. 70-80 characters for a useful filename.
This was possible with Endnote X5, and if one places the Endnote folders at the topmost level in Windows Explorer hierarchy to overcome the 250 character limitation, this shouldn’t be a problem. Especially since in Endnote X5 the attachment folder has changed to a 10 digit number.
Thus the elongation of the number of characters from 46 to 80 for an attachment is a must.