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From: andyp@treehouse.UUCP (Andy Peterman)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.mac.programmer
Subject: Re: HFS directory allocation?
Message-ID: <809@treehouse.UUCP>
Date: 16 Feb 91 18:11:57 GMT
References: <1991Feb15.200946.38986@eagle.wesleyan.edu>
Organization: The Treehouse
Lines: 20

In article <1991Feb15.200946.38986@eagle.wesleyan.edu> rcook@eagle.wesleyan.edu (ME:MINT.INIT) writes:
>A few weeks ago I remember reading somewhere (I believe it was Inside
>Appletalk, 2nd edition) that there is a limit to the number of directories you
>can create on any given volume. 
> ...
>I suppose I should not be so concerned because HFS uses 16 bit numbers for its
>directories, so 30000 folders is an awful lot to chug through.  I just want to
>hear the story from someone who knows.  Thanks in advance.

Directories (and files) are given a new 32 bit number every time a new
one is created.  This is reflected in the directory ID number that you
use in most of the HFS File Manager calls.  I had a hard disk which
hadn't been initialized in a LONG time that had directory IDs well above
40000.  It would probably take longer to create more than 100,000 or so
files than most hard disk would last.  I wouldn't worry about it!

-- 
Andy Peterman                       |   Opinions expressed
treehouse!andyp@gvgpsa.gvg.tek.com  | are definitely those of
(916) 273-4569                      |      my employer!