We have long multi-folder pathnames holding Excel files. The Excel files are
created using vba procedures, and they do not contain links to other files.

When the total pathname (including the individual filename) gets to about
210 characters in length, we see some flaky/shaky file save operations.
Sometimes the vba works (with save pathname lengths of 205) and yet
immediately after, on a second vba run, the vba fails (with SHORTER pathname
lengths of 203).

Since the 203 case fails, why wouldn't the 205? Does Excel build 'work'
filenames for initially saving data, and then renames the 'work' filenames to
their final user-specified names once the save is completed? What do those
work filenames look like? Could those work filenames be just long enough to
trip up the 'save' request? But why the implied inconsistency between 203
failing and 205 succeeding?

A puzzle. It's hard to tell folks their pathnames are too long when they
can produce the irony of examples like 203 vs. 205. And then there's the
monkey wrench of knowledge base documents saying Office products have a known
limit of 218.

Anyone else see this kind of thing?

Mike