Working with Mapped Network Drive

[ccowgill]

Currently some users are using mapped drives for their projects (not always the same letter), the IT in our office doesnot like mapped drives and the head draftsperson does not agree with the IT. I tend to agree with the IT, but that is not the point of this thread. I would like to know if there is any way remove a mapped drive or ignore a mapped drive using lisp. I have several routines that depend on someone browsing to select a path, if they use a mapped drive, it can cause issues with my programs (as I am not using mapped drive letters for the programming) Does anyone have a suggestion?

[Brian Myers]

I actually have no problem with a mapped drive, but back to the initial question: if you have it pointed the same way the drive is mapped (via shared name/directory structure) why couldn't you simply do it the way you wish? In other words, why can't you just set up all your scripts to search your network path? It should work even if a drive letter is assigned to that path, if it's a shared network path (and you don't bother to specify a drive letter) it won't care about the drive letter being assigned, it'll look for the computer then the shared location on that machine. In short: You can do it strictly by path and even if the drive letter is different, it won't matter, your script will never have to point to a drive letter, just a shared network location.

[ccowgill]

I actually have no problem with a mapped drive, but back to the initial question: if you have it pointed the same way the drive is mapped (via shared name/directory structure) why couldn't you simply do it the way you wish? In other words, why can't you just set up all your scripts to search your network path? It should work even if a drive letter is assigned, if it's a shared network path it won't care about the drive letter, it'll look for the computer then the shared location on that machine.

if someone opens a drawing that has a path, stored in some ldata or xdata, M: and they dont have M: mapped to the same location, wont that cause an issue?

[Tom Beauford]

if someone opens a drawing that has a path, stored in some ldata or xdata, M: and they dont have M: mapped to the same location, wont that cause an issue?

Sounds like you don't have a problem with mapped drives. You have a problem with standardization.

We have a similar problem here where everyone In both the city and county had T mapped as their GIS. Our IT folk mapped a drive for Traffic as T. Now people are using 4 different drive letters as GIS. I've gotten used to modifying references from others.

If there's no need for mapping another drive what they're doing is crazy. You probably can't do anything about what the head draftsperson encourages.
If it makes you feel better at least it's not your IT causing the problem, so you at least have hope.

[dgorsman]

if someone opens a drawing that has a path, stored in some ldata or xdata, M: and they dont have M: mapped to the same location, wont that cause an issue?

*That* may cause an issue, which is why I'm not crazy about storing such information inside drawings. You should probably have an if/then structure that tests the recovered path name with a semaphore file, one you know is valid, using (findfile...). If the semaphore file is not present, you can resort to using a \\server\volume\folder\folder... version that is hard coded, either as a replacement to the drive mapping (swap M: with \\server\volume), or a full-out replacement with the full path.

[jpaulsen]

This solution is too easy so I assume you can't do it.

Can LISP use the UNC path? (\\server\path)

My IT department does not have any problem with mapped drives and all four offices use the same drive letters. It makes it much easier on the typical user so they do not need to remember serrver names and long paths. What issues does you IT department have with mapped drives?

[ccowgill]

Our IT department has no use for them. I'm not sure, but I think that it might be personal preference not to use it, or some of the software we use might not work well with out the unc path.

[jpaulsen]

I think your IT department has forgot, or never knew, who they're clients are....you and your fellow employees. It sounds like a personal preference thing. Mapping drives does not exclude software from using the UNC path. The UNC paths are always available. Personally I prefer UNC paths for many things and use them often. As far as I know AutoCAD will work with UNC paths and I assume Lisp will recognize them also.

Here are my suggestions listed in no particular order:

Work with IT to have them map drives based on standard drive letters for all employees. They should be able to map them automatically with a login script

or

Develop your own standard drive letters and have all employees use those standard mappings. Without IT's help you will need to provide instructions to the users how to map drives and have those mappings reconnect at logon. This will be harder to enforce without the backing of IT.

or

Use UNC paths for everything. This would include xrefs, sheet set manger and all the network paths in you options such as: template files, search paths, etc. This would require you to get all employees to stop mapping drives. I have not tested this fully but first glance indicates that it will work.

I am curious to know if anyone else out there is using AutoCAD strictly with UNC paths.

[ccowgill]

I have been using it with strictly UNC paths, and have never had an issue, all my LISPs are set up using UNC and I think i even have one that if the path is specified as a mapped drive, it will convert it.