NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

Edvin — Fri, 26 Sep 2025 12:35:32 GMT

Another possible workaround is to build using ninja directly, instead of using west.

To build using ninja, please open a terminal that contains the toolchain in your application, and use these commands:

mkdir build
cd build
cmake .. -DBOARD=nrf54l15dk/nrf54l15/cpuapp -GNinja
ninja

Best regards,

Edvin

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

JONATHAN LL — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:51:17 GMT

Yes, this is an unfortunate issue.

We are aware of this and and working on it.

But for now the solution is to create a path that si as short as possible.

Regards,
Jonathan

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

mabe — Wed, 22 Jan 2025 11:10:06 GMT

Yes, but it need to be really close to the root due to the length of directory name of the sample.

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

JONATHAN LL — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 06:34:16 GMT

Hi CktDesigner , can you create a new post here on Devzone on the topic of 2.9.0 issue you are seeing.

Regards,
Jonathan

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

CktDesigner — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 04:06:33 GMT

I'm having a similar problem trying to migrate from 2.7.0 to 2.9.0.

My projects are not "in-tree" (I have a custom board and my project directory is separate from where toolchains and SDKs are stored.).

When creating a build configuration, one is asked to provide a name for the build. This is used to create a directory/folder where all build info is created/stored. In previous releases, this build folder is created and all make scripts, object files, etc. are stored there. For 2.9.0, it looks like the build folder is created, but then another folder is created in the build folder

using the project name. This folder, with the project name, is where the make scripts, object files, etc. are stored. In my case, the project name is pretty long and the extra characters (due to the extra level of file hierarchy) pushes file names over the Windows limit.

I'm wondering if this extra level was introduced as a "feature" or a bug. Why the extra level??

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

JONATHAN LL — Wed, 15 Jan 2025 08:52:17 GMT

Does it work if you build out of tree?

Regards,
Jonathan

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

mabe — Tue, 14 Jan 2025 16:15:56 GMT

Building on NCS 2.9.0 in the default installation directory of NCS does not work for e.g. c:\ncs\v2.9.0\nrf\samples\bluetooth\channel_sounding_ras_reflector .

CMake Warning in C:/ncs/v2.9.0/nrf/subsys/nrf_security/src/core/nrf_oberon/CMakeLists.txt:
 The object file directory

C:/ncs/v2.9.0/nrf/samples/bluetooth/channel_sounding_ras_reflector/build/channel_sounding_ras_reflector/modules/nrf/subsys/nrf_security/src/core/nrf_oberon/CMakeFiles/oberon_psa_core.dir/./

has 189 characters. The maximum full path to an object file is 250
 characters (see CMAKE_OBJECT_PATH_MAX). Object file

C_/ncs/v2.9.0/nrf/subsys/nrf_security/src/psa_crypto_driver_wrappers.c.obj

cannot be safely placed under this directory. The build may not work
 correctly.

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

JONATHAN LL — Wed, 27 Nov 2024 12:28:48 GMT

Copying the sample out to a folder paths that is shorter such as C:/NCS/Out-OF-Tree-builds/ is how, so it does not always need to build in tree and build with the working dir being the workspace.

You can use a shorter name like C:/project/ or whatever here but this works.

I copied the central_uart sample to a folder I named out of tree and ran the build from VS code nRF extension there.

so the following:

C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /d /s /c "west build --build-dir c:/Out-Of_Tree/central_uart/build c:/Out-Of_Tree/central_uart --pristine --board nrf52840dk/nrf52840 -- -DNCS_TOOLCHAIN_VERSION=NONE -DBOARD_ROOT=c:/out-of_tree/central_uart"

Regards,
Jonathan

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

rgrr2 — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 19:29:09 GMT

Thanks, sounds at least as an intermediate solution. Could you please tell how to move the build project out of the tree.

RE: NCS 2.8.0: path length problem during build under Windows

JONATHAN LL — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:53:31 GMT

I am currently not aware of a solution that does not include renaming or restructuring stuff if you want to build in tree. What you can try to do is build the project out of tree and that should help with this issue as long as you put the project somewhere with few characters I belive.

Regards,
Jonathan