Read/Write on a network folder

[enrichz]

I would like to read and write on a folder placed on a shared storage using the SubFileSystem. Is this possible? I can't seem to find the way, I always get the exception:
A path on Windows must start by /mnt/ followed by the drive letter.
Also, I'd like to be compatible with both Windows and Linux.

This is the code I have:

UPath root = "\\\\myserver\\PublicFolder\\";
var fs = new PhysicalFileSystem();
if (!fs.DirectoryExists(root))
{
	fs.CreateDirectory(root);
}
var subfs = new SubFileSystem(fs, root);

Thanks

[xoofx]

It is indeed not possible.

Also, I'd like to be compatible with both Windows and Linux.

What do you mean? Afaik, Linux doesn't have an equivalent of that right?

[guillaume86]

I would also be interested in this feature, maybe a "/smb/SERVER-> \\SERVER" convention enabled in windows environments could do the job the same way you handle local drives with "/mnt/C -> C:\".

Thank you for this lib, it looks very useful and well written.

[LimpingNinja]

Just adding a comment - on Linux you would mount an SMB path for perusal or use an smbclient; on Windows you'd do the same with NET USE:

net use s: \\myserver\publicfolder

Then in Zio you would use:

UPath root = "/mnt/s/";

Essentially using the 'net use' is mounting the path as a subsystem and even works on local. @guillaume86 how would you envision this being cross-supported or is this a windows only feature side?

[VaslD]

Something like \\MyServer\PublicFolder (unescaped) is an UNC Path. In short, UNC Path is the Windows way to normalize different formats of file paths, e.g. C:\Windows\, \\?\Volume{b75e2c83-0000-0000-0000-602f00000000}\Test\Foo.txt, D:Folder1 (yes, there is no / or \) can all be converted to UNC Paths. (But they don't have to be.)

.NET built-in IO accepts UNC Paths and other valid but not portable path formats on Windows. UPath may need additional logic to support conversion between different special path formats.

[guillaume86]

Maybe a /unc/ root path could handle that on windows platforms?
Just translating itself to \\ when transformed into a native path similarly to what /mnt/ is doing for mounted drives.

@xoofx any remarks/recommendations if someone was to tackle that?

[xoofx]

The integration into PhysicalFileSystem doesn't match. A unc is like an http connection where you have the host and the path inside it.
I would prefer a new UncFileSystem("\\\\myserver\\PublicFolder\\") is introduced even if it requires to move some parts of PhysicalFileSystem to a base class.
Note also that it might require to disable the file watcher API for this one.
I don't have time, nor any personal interest in this feature, but a PR is welcome.