Chapter 6 - Making File Services Available to Users
Banyan users with the appropriate access rights can connect to a StreetTalk file service from the following Banyan clients: DOS, Windows, Windows 95/98, Windows NT, and OS/2. You can use profile commands to connect to a file service automatically at the start of every login session, or you can establish a temporary connection that lasts for the duration of the login session only.
By default, drive Z of a Banyan client is automatically mapped to VINES Files.
Exceeding the Maximum Number of Drives on the Client
By default, from DOS, Windows 3.x, and OS/2 clients, you can set a maximum of six drives, including drive Z to network file services. To set additional drives, you must delete existing drive settings, or use the PCCONFIG program to modify the default limit to any value between 1 and 26. See Managing Workstations for instructions on using PCCONFIG to modify the number of client drive connections.
Mapping Drive Z to VINES Files
When a client logs into the Banyan network, it generates a broadcast requesting a VINES Files file service. By default, the client maps drive Z to the name of the first VINES Files service with the same software revision as the workstation to reply to the broadcast. For example, if the VINES Files service on server Admin-NT-01 is the first service to respond to a client's broadcast, drive Z on the client is mapped to
VINES Files@Admin-NT-01@Servers.
Although you can change this default, and set drive Z to another file service, it is recommended that you retain the default drive Z mapping.
Connecting Clients to a File Service
You can connect Banyan clients to StreetTalk file services using several different tools. You can connect a client to a file service by specifying a drive letter and the StreetTalk name of the service. You can connect clients in two ways:
![]()
Automatically, using profile commands ![]()
Manually, using one of the following tools:
Client Type Tool All DOS and Windows clients SETDRIVE Windows 3.x, Windows NT 3.51 File Manager Windows 95/98, Windows NT 4.x Windows Explorer
You can establish more than one drive connection to a single file service. However, you cannot connect a single drive to more than one file service.
On an OS/2 client, setting a drive to a file service associates the specified drive letter with that file service globally across all OS/2 screen sessions. However, each OS/2 screen session can display a unique pathname on that drive.
It is recommended that you use only the letters E through Y as drive letters. The letters A through D should be reserved for physical disks (fixed disks, diskette drives, CD-ROM drives, and so forth), and the letter Z designates VINES Files.
Before making a file service available to users, specify the appropriate level of security. Refer to Chapter 4 for more information about establishing security settings for file services.
Connecting to a Specific Subdirectory or Share Point of a File Service
When connecting a drive to a file service, you can specify the particular subdirectory where the drive connection is made. When a subdirectory is specified for a drive connection, a user opening a session on that drive has access only to that subdirectory and its subdirectories; the user has no access to the parent directory. If no subdirectory is specified for the drive connection, users opening a session on the drive have access to the root directory of the file service. Connect users to a specific directory to limit access to the root directory of a file service.
In a group share file service, Windows NT directories that reside on more than one physical disk are accessible from a single drive connection. A Banyan client can connect to the group share at the root level and view as subdirectories each share point configured, or directly connect, to a specific share point.
Users connect directly to a specific directory within the share group by specifying a share point name. Clients connecting to the main share group see the share point names as subdirectories. For example, a client connecting to the main group share depicted in Figure 6-1 would see subdirectories: for Share Point1, Share Point2, Share Point3, and Share Point4.
The root directory of a group share file service cannot contain files. You cannot save files to the root directory of a group share file service.
Managing Drive Connections Using SETDRIVE
Use the Banyan SETDRIVE command to manage a client' s network drive connections with StreetTalk file services. The syntax of the SETDRIVE command is as follows:
SETDRIVE [drive letter] [servicename] [/R:pathname] [/L] [/X]
Refer to Table 6-1 for an explanation of the SETDRIVE arguments.
Argument | Description | Values and Limits |
drive letter | Identifies a network drive. Use the drive letters E through Y for network file services. Drives A through D are most often used by DOS and OS/2 workstations as local drives. Reserve the letter Z for VINES Files. | A letter from A to Z. |
servicename | Specifies the StreetTalk name of a file service. | If the name contains spaces, enclose the entire name in double quotation marks. |
/Root:pathname | Specifies a pathname in a file volume. If you omit /R:pathname, a logged in user is mapped to the root of a file volume. If you map VINES system files to drive Z and omit /R:, DOS is the default operating system, and the root is set to \DOS\xxx, where xxx indicates the client language version. | The pathname can be a maximum of 64 characters. The leading \ after /R: is optional. |
/L | Lists the drives and file services currently mapped at the workstation. | Not for use as a profile command |
/X | Removes the association between the specified drive and a file service. | Precede with a letter identifying the network drive connection to be removed. Not for use as a profile command. |
Three versions of the SETDRIVE command exist:
![]()
Profile ![]()
Command line ![]()
Menu
Certain restrictions apply to using each version. For example, the profile command is only used to connect to file services. You cannot list or disconnect drive connections using the profile command.
You cannot establish persistent connections to file services using the command line or menu versions of SETDRIVE. You also cannot use the command line version to search for file services by name.
This section describes how to manage drive connections using each of the appropriate SETDRIVE commands.
Viewing a Client' s Current Drive Connections
You can use SETDRIVE to display a list of all of the Banyan file services to which the client currently maintains drive settings. SETDRIVE does not display drives set to UNC connections.
To View Drive Connections From the Command Prompt
To show all current drive mappings, enter:
setdrive /l
To View Drive Connections From the SETDRIVE Menu
1. From the command prompt, enter:
SETDRIVE
The File Sharing menu appears.
2. Choose SELECT from list below. The cursor moves to the bottom half of the screen.
3. Use the arrow keys to scroll through the list of current drive settings.
Using SETDRIVE as a Profile Command to Connect to a File Service
To consistently connect a user to a file service, you can use the SETDRIVE command in the user profile to assign a drive letter to the StreetTalk name of the file service.
Use appropriate PATH and CD commands in the user profile to ensure user access to the appropriate directories.
Example: Specifying a Drive Setting in a User Profile
Placing the following command in the user profile connects drive G of a user' s workstation to the file service sys files@Adm01@servers every time they log in:
setdrive g "sys files@Adm01@servers" /r:\sales\east\smith
Furthermore, the command specifies that the user connects to the subdirectory \Sales\East\Smith. This directory serves as the root directory on the file service for this user. That is, when opening a session on drive G, the user is confined to using only those resources in the specified directory or its subdirectories. The user has no access to the root directory of the file service, nor to directories above the level of the \Smith subdirectory.
Establishing a Temporary Connection to a File Service
You can temporarily connect a workstation drive to a file service by entering the SETDRIVE command at the command prompt. A temporary drive connection remains in effect for the duration of the current Banyan login session, and is removed after the user logs out.
You establish temporary connections to a file service using either of the following methods:
![]()
Specifying the drive letter and file service on the SETDRIVE command line ![]()
Selecting the drive letter and file service from the SETDRIVE menu
If you already set the maximum number of drives, delete a drive setting that you are not currently using. Refer to "Disconnecting a Drive from a File Service" later in this chapter.
To Establish a Temporary Drive Connection from the SETDRIVE Command Line
To connect drive T of a Banyan workstation to the StreetTalk file service with the name FS@Group@Organization, enter the following at the command prompt:
SETDRIVE T FS@Group@Organization
Drive T on the workstation is connected to the root of the Windows NT directory associated with this StreetTalk name.
Establishing Temporary Drive Connections from the SETDRIVE Menu
The SETDRIVE menu provides the same functionality as the command line SETDRIVE. Use the SETDRIVE menu to search and view file service names as you manage a workstation' s network drive connections.
From the SETDRIVE menu, you can search for file services:
![]()
Within the group you are currently managing ![]()
Outside of the current group
To Assign a Drive to a File Service in the Current Group
1. From the command prompt, enter:
SETDRIVE
The File Sharing menu appears.
2. Choose SELECT from list below. The cursor moves to the bottom half of the screen.
3. Choose the file service. The Set Drive to Volume menu appears.
4. Choose SET drive to volume. You are prompted to enter a drive letter.
5. Enter the letter of the drive to connect to this file service. The system displays the new setting.
To Assign a Drive to a File Service Not in the Current Group
1. From the command prompt, enter:
SETDRIVE
The File Sharing menu appears.
2. Choose SEARCH for other volumes. The Search for Volumes menu appears.
3. Choose one of the following:
- Volumes in Another Group
- Volumes in an Organization
- Volumes that Match a Pattern
You are prompted to enter the appropriate search information.
Note: Searching for a file service within a large organization or group, can take several minutes for SETDRIVE to collect the names of all available file services.
4. Enter the appropriate search criteria. If you are entering the name of a group, by default, SETDRIVE automatically appends the name of your StreetTalk organization.
After SETDRIVE locates the file service specified, the File Sharing menu appears.
5. Choose SELECT from list below. The cursor moves to the bottom half of the screen.
6. Choose the file volume. The Set Drive to Volume menu appears.
7. Choose SET drive to volume.
8. Enter the letter of the drive you want to set. SETDRIVE displays the new setting.
Disconnecting a Drive from a File Service
You can use SETDRIVE to disconnect a drive from any Banyan file service. SETDRIVE cannot disconnect drives set to UNC connections.
To Disconnect a Drive from the Command Line
To delete a setting between a workstation drive and a StreetTalk file service, enter the drive letter, followed by the /x switch. For example, to delete a drive setting between drive T on the workstation and the corresponding file service, enter:
setdrive t /x
To Disconnect a Drive From the SETDRIVE Menu
1. At the command prompt, enter SETDRIVE. The File Sharing menu appears.
2. Choose SELECT from list below. The cursor moves to the lower part of the screen.
3. Choose a drive letter. The Set Drive to Volume menu appears.
4. Choose DELETE drive setting.
5. Enter one or more letters to indicate each drive to delete. Separate multiple letters by commas.
6. Press ENTER to delete the drive settings. The drive assignments are removed and no longer appear on the screen.
Connecting a Windows 95/98 or Windows NT Client to a File Service
Banyan Windows 95/98 and Banyan Windows NT clients are fully integrated with the native file management tools on these platforms. As a result, in addition to using SETDRIVE to connect these clients to a StreetTalk file service (as discussed earlier in this chapter), you can connect using the following native tools:
![]()
File Manager ![]()
Windows Explorer ![]()
My Computer ![]()
Network Neighborhood
Use Network Neighborhood from a Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0 client to view and use Banyan file services on the network without mapping a drive. From the Network Neighborhood, you can use StreetTalk search patterns to locate and access items on the network.
Use My Computer from a Windows 95/98 or Windows NT 4.0 client to access all of the resources available on your workstation, including network file services that have been mapped to drive letters. Network file services mapped to drive letters appear as network drive icons.
Encountering Unavailable Services
You may encounter problems in connecting to a StreetTalk file service if:
![]()
The Banyan access rights are not properly configured ![]()
The access rights do not provide you with a level of access sufficient for the operation you attempt
To provide the desired level of access, you may need to modify the Banyan access rights. Refer to Chapter 4 for information about configuring the Banyan access rights.