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Chapter 3 - Connecting to Network Drives from a Windows 3.1 Client

About Network Drives

Figure 3-1 Network with File Volumes

Example Accessing Network Drives

Note: If you run Windows 3.0, use the Connect Net Drive command. This command is replaced by the Network Connections command for Windows 3.1.

Using File Manager

Organize your files and directories.
Start applications.
Connect to network drives.

Figure 3-2 File Manager Window

Disconnecting from a Network Drive

Note: If you connect to network drives and enable the Persistent option, these connections are recreated each time you start Windows. Persistent connections are described later in this chapter.

1. Choose the Network Connections command from the File Manager's Disk menu.

2. Add a connection to a network drive.

3. Enter the StreetTalk name of the network drive in the File Service text box.

4. Choose a drive letter from the Drive list box or type a letter in the Drive box.

5. Specify a root directory for the selected network drive.

6. Confirm your network drive connection.

Choosing the Network Connections Command

Figure 3-3 Network Connections Dialog Box

Add network connections to network drives not specified in your user profile.
Remove network connections.

Adding a Network Connection

1. Click Add to connect to a network drive. The Add Drive Connection dialog box appears, as shown in Figure 3-4.

Figure 3-4 Add Drive Connection Dialog Box

2. Type the StreetTalk name of the file service (network drive), or press TAB to browse for file service names. If you press TAB to browse for file service names, the first file service name in the list box is selected. Type the first few letters of the file service you want to connect to. The list moves to the first match.

3. Specify a root directory. You can specify any directory in the network drive as the root directory for your connection. This directory then becomes the root, or top level directory, for the network drive.

4. Enter the drive letter in the Drive box, or click on the drop-down list box to display all available drive letters. Select a drive letter by double-clicking on it. This drive letter becomes the letter associated with your network drive.

5. The Persistent option box is enabled by default. Click to disable the option. If the option is enabled, the network drive connects the next time you start Windows.

6. Click OK to confirm your network connection. The File Manager window appears with the new network drive icon.

Note: If you do not have the proper access rights to the network drive you selected, an error message appears. Ask your system administrator for assistance.

Using the STDA search list to search for file service names
Specifying a root directory through the Browse Root dialog box
Creating a subset list of file services to use to connect to a network drive
Marking network connections "persistent"

Searching for File Service Names

1. Press TAB. The first file service name from the list appears in the File Service text box.

2. To move through the list, either:

- Use the scroll bar, arrow keys, or paging keys.

- Type the first letters of the file service name. The letters appear above the File Service text box and the first available match appears at the top of the list.

Typing the first letters of the file service name is the quickest way to locate file services to connect to as network drives.

3. To choose the file service name, either:

- Double-click the name.

- Select the name and click OK.

Creating a Subset List of File Services

1. Click Subset from the Add Drive Connection dialog box. The StreetTalk Directory Assistance Subset dialog box appears.

Figure 3-5 STDA Subset Screen

You can enter StreetTalk patterns in either the:

- Name Pattern text box, such as *@sales@WCTUS. The default search pattern is *@*@*.

- Description Pattern text box. The default pattern is *.

2. Enter your pattern and click OK. The file service names that match your pattern appear in the list area of the Add Drive Connection dialog box.

Note: You can follow these steps to create a subset list of print services to use to connect to network printers. Connecting to network printers is described in Chapter 4.

Specifying a Root Directory

Enter a root directory path in the Root text box.
Click Browse Root to display the Browse Root dialog box.

Figure 3-6 Browse Root Screen

1. Double-click the root directory (\) icon to display the root directory's subdirectories.

2. Click on a directory to select it. To display a directory's subdirectories, double-click the directory.

As you move down through the directory tree, the current path continually appears below the title bar of the dialog box. You can move down as many levels as you wish. To move up a level through the directory tree, click the parent directory.

3. After you select your root directory, click the OK button. The Add Drive Connection dialog box reappears with the specified root directory in the Root text box.

Example Specifying a Root Directory

Making Network Connections Persistent

Disconnecting from a Network Drive

1. From the File Manager, choose the Network Connections command from the Disk menu. The Network Connections dialog box appears, listing your current network connections.

2. Select the file service name of the network connection you want to remove, and click Remove.

Note: You cannot disconnect from the network drive you are currently connected to. The network drive you are currently connected to is the one highlighted in the File Manager window. If you try to disconnect from a connected network drive, an error message appears.

Using the SETDRIVE Command

Note: When you connect to or disconnect from network drives using SETDRIVE, File Manager is not notified of these events. It is recommended that you do not run the two programs simultaneously. As an alternative, exit and restart File Manager after using the SETDRIVE program. The SETDRIVE program is described in the VINES User's Guide for DOS and OS/2 and in the Command Reference.

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