Accessing Windows Explorer from ASP.net page

  • Thread starter Thread starter Lou
  • Start date Start date
L

Lou

I want to be able to open Windows Explorer from an asp.net page. My
client has a large number of AutoCad files with external references
that he needs to work with. These will be stored in a folder
structure on his server. A companion sql server database stores
project related data pertaining to the AutoCad files. The database
has a web front end. While in the office my client wants to be able
to use Windows explorer from a button on the web front end that will
navigate to the correct folder when a project is chosen from the aspx
page. A web-based file manager would be very cumbersome because of
the many externally referenced files that need to be downloaded as
well as the main dwg files.

Is there a way to "automate" Windows Explorer using asp.net? And if
so, how should I proceed with this?

Thanks,
Lou
 
Hi,

Since you are working within the office, I imagine all the users are
connected to the local network.

If all you want to do is to lauch a new window with the file system, you
could try this:
<body>
<a href="file://c:\" target="_default">some link</a>
</body>

The href attribute could be dynamically created by ASP.NET, I'm not sure if
you can use UNC paths. If this not possible, one of your requirements could
be that all users have a specific drive mapped to the central server.

By the way, ASP.NET is only available on the server, not on the client. Even
if you could create an instance of Windows Explorer to automate, nobody can
see it.


Chris
 
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