Setting Up and Managing Network Drives

Using Universal Naming Convention (UNC) Paths in MS Windows

UNC redirection can work even if the executable file relies on another file to run. For example, if the MS-DOS 5.0 EDIT.COM and QBASIC.EXE files (the latter is needed to run the former) are both copied onto the network share, UNC redirection works properly.

Program Information Files (PIFs)

To have access to a DOS application located on a network server without formally connecting to the resource, use UNC redirection in the PIF command line as follows.

Procedure

1Run the PIF Editor.

2In the “Program Filename” text box, enter the UNC path for the application. To assign a path, enter

\\servername\volume\path\filename

For example, to assign a path to an DOS word processing application called WRDPRC.EXE on the server MARKETING, you could enter

\\MARKETING\SYS\APPS\WRDPRC.EXE

If you are redirecting a resource that is a NetWare Directory Services object in NetWare 4, you must specify three backslashes (\\\) before the servername.

UNC redirection for programs is dependent upon the modules or parts that the program uses, where they are located, and how they are loaded. UNC redirection might not function for all applications.

UNC redirection can work even if the executable file relies on another file to run. For example, if the MS-DOS 5.0 EDIT.COM and QBASIC.EXE files (the latter is needed to run the former) are both copied onto the network share, UNC redirection works properly.

Referencing Files

To copy or move files and directories to a network volume or directory, or to open a file or save it as another filename, without formally mapping to the resource, you can use UNC redirection as follows.

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