How to map a network drive to a folder instead of a letter

[Red Squirrel]

I have a network script that currently mounts a folder to a drive letter, say, x: then runs from there, as UNC paths don't work very well when a script has to refer to a file.

The issue with this is I sometimes run into workstations that have x: (or any other letter I may pick) used for something specific to their department.

Because of this, the script wont work well on said PCs.

Is there a way I can just make a folder on their local PC and mount the drive there then unmount after?

 

[bobross419]

You can just create a shortcut, depending on how your server is setup...

If you can get to your server using \\servername\folder\subfolder\subfolder\... you should be able to add that path as the target for the shortcut. Delete the shortcut when done.


EDIT - I think I misunderstood your post... Its friday, give me a break lol

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah shortcut wont work for what I need. I wish windows supported symlinks. 😛

The more I use Linux, the more I hate windows lol.

 

[Aluvus]

If you are willing/able to edit the registry for this purpose, then this approach (third entry) will work for Win2k/WinXP and AFAIK more recent versions of Windows. But obviously editing the registry is not a very appealing solution.

This is the only method I am familiar with, unfortunately.

 

[stash]

Vista and above support symbolic links.

From an elevated command prompt: mklink /D c:\test \\server\share

 

[Red Squirrel]

Another thing that could work for me, is there a way I can copy data to the local hard drive from a UNC path? Seems copy, xcopy etc do not work. Any 3rd party utilities that are free? Would have to be stand alone. This is for a login script. I want to avoid using drive letters even as temporary mappings since there is over 200 different apps that use various different drive letters that may conflict.

 

[Gooberlx2]

link

ROBOCOPY will accept UNC pathnames including UNC pathnames over 256 characters long.