Dos file name details

Running XP Home.
In the command line I am having trouble changing directories. I know that there is a limit to the number of characters ( I thought it was 8) in a file name but I can’t remember how to handle it. I am trying to do “cd program files” comes back with “too many parameters” then I try “cd program~” and “cd program*” and get back “invalid file name”
Help please?
Thanks,
Barkley