Since you're using PUTFILE() (I assumed it was GETFILE()), it's probably because the file name specified doesn't exist. Everthing is correct in the declaration and the call.

I don't think that the PutFile() is the issue at all. I tried this code, which I got from the UT library and it didn't work either. I tried it last night on VFP7 on a Windows 2000 Pro system and then again in my office in VFP6 on a Windows 2000 Pro system. The code can't get any simpler then this. I must be doing something wrong.

DECLARE INTEGER GetShortPathName IN Win32API STRING, STRING, INTEGER

lcLongFile = "c:\program files\somefolder\my file name.doc"
lcBuffer = SPACE(511)
lnBufferSize = 511
lnShortPathLen = GetShortPathName(lcLongFile, @lcBuffer, lnBufferSize)

lcShortPath = LEFT(lcBuffer, lnBufferSize)

MessageBox(lcShortPath,16,[Test])

return

Thanks for any help

DJ :o)