Sitecore TDS could not load all files for the project: Overcoming Long Path Restrictions in Windows

For some time, we struggled with a pesky issue in one of my client's Sitecore MVC Helix-based solutions: certain Sitecore TDS items would fail to load due to excessively long file paths. The problem varied depending on where the developer's cloned solution was located, leading to a cascade of error pop-ups in Visual Studio. Through experimentation, we landed on an effective solution to mitigate the errors.

Here’s a detailed rundown of what we tried and what ultimately worked.

The Persistent Error

The error surfaced as a series of pop-up messages in Visual Studio whenever a developer loaded the solution.

Close.  Close. Close. Close. Close.

Each pop-up corresponded to a TDS item that failed to load due to excessively long paths.   Once each pop-up was manually closed, Visual Studio would finally load the solution. 

Within the TDS console, various errors like this would be present:

The file 'C:\GITCODE\Client\Client.com\src\Foundation\SharedTemplates\tds\Client.Foundation.SharedTemplates.Master\sitecore\templates\Foundation\Client\SharedTemplates\Sales Tool\Components\Text With Image Video\_textWithImageVideo\Data\Video Thumbnail Image.item' could not be loaded.

12:07:35 PM: Sitecore TDS has finished parsing 707 files for Client.Foundation.SharedTemplates.Master.

Warning: Sitecore TDS could not load all files for the project. The files may be missing or corrupted. Please see the Sitecore TDS pane in the output window for more details.

Attempts to Resolve the Issue

1. Updating the Windows Registry

For Windows 10, we tried edited the registry to enable long paths by adding a LongPathsEnabled key:

>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

Setting LongPathsEnabled to 1 had no effect.

2. Git Long Paths Configuration

We tried enabling long-path support in Git:

git config --system core.longpaths true
(Configures Git to support long paths for all users and repositories on the entire system, requiring administrative privileges.)

git config --global core.longpaths true
(Configures Git to support long paths for all repositories the current user uses without requiring administrative privileges.)

This approach appeared to work for Windows 11, but not Windows 10.

3. Using Directory Junctions (Symbolic Links)

Our breakthrough came from using directory junctions, which effectively shortened the path length by creating a symbolic link to the project directory. This can be accomplished using the command prompt or with PowerShell:

Creating a Directory Junction using the Command Prompt

1. Open Command Prompt as Administrator: Press Win + R, type cmd, and press Enter.

2. Run the mklink Command:

   • Suppose your project directory is located at C:\Users\YourUserName\GitSolutions\SitecoreSolution.
     
     You can create a shorter path like this:
     > mklink /J C:\ShortPath C:\Users\YourUserName\GitSolutions\SitecoreSolution
     
     

     This command creates a junction at C:\ShortPath pointing to your actual project directory.

3. Access Your Project:

   • Open your project from the new shorter path (C:\ShortPath) in Visual Studio.

Creating a Directory Junction using PowerShell

1. Open PowerShell (in Windows Terminal) as Administrator: Press Win + X, and select "Windows PowerShell (Admin)".

2. Run the New-Item Cmdlet:

   • Suppose your project directory is located at C:\Users\YourUserName\GitSolutions\SitecoreSolution.
     
     You can create a shorter path like this:
     > New-Item -ItemType Junction -Path "C:\ShortPath" -Target "C:\Users\YourUserName\GitSolutions\SitecoreSolution"
     
     

     This command creates a junction at C:\ShortPath pointing to your actual project directory.

3. Access Your Project:

   • You can navigate to C:\ShortPath and see that it points to your original directory. Open your solution file from the new shorter path (C:\ShortPath) in Visual Studio.

TL;DR

For Windows 10 Users: Using directory junctions proved to be the most effective solution for developers on Windows 10. It’s a non-invasive approach that doesn’t require registry edits or changes to Git configurations.

For Windows 11 Users: Enabling long paths via Git configuration has shown similar results in Windows 11 without creating a junction.
This setting seems to leverage Windows 11's improved support for long paths across more applications, including Visual Studio.

Conclusion

If you’re struggling with similar issues, I highly recommend trying directory junctions or adjusting your Git configurations based on your operating system.

Try these methods and see the difference it makes in your development process. Share your experiences or tips in the comments. 

Happy Sitecore TDS-ing!