What's the difference between a mapped drive and shortcut to the server?

Hi

I am baffled by the reply I got from customer support for a software we use at the office.

Basically: What is the real value of mapping a drive versus sharing a folder?

Thanks
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Answer gotten: You need to run PI from a folder WITHIN a mapped drive letter, such as
X:\PI5, not directly from \\WIS-SERVER\PI5

Do this on the workstation (not WIS-SERVER) by selecting Map Network Drive
from the Tools menu in Explorer (or My Computer). Choose a drive letter,
select the shared drive (just sharing C: is easiest, though less secure) and
check the 'Reconnect at logon' checkbox. Now make sure your shortcut points
to the drive letter, not \\WIS-SERVER\PI5

Note: the PI5 folder must be contained WITHIN this shared drive or folder -
it will not work if PI is installed in the root. You may need to move the
PI installation on the server to C:\PI5\PI5, for example, and then share the
top-level PI5 folder.

as far as accessing the files there is no difference.

However, some programs require the mapped drive (in your example x:\P15). When the porgram was created the developers didn't give it the ability to use a UNC path (which is the \\WIS-SERVER). Therefore the software won't work that way.

Most newer programs dont' have a problem with \\WIS-Server, but older software will have issues with it.

Hope that helps.

The difference is that a mapped drive uses a mounted drive letter value, while the shortcut uses the UNC path... D:\ vs. \\

Depending on how they coded the application, it may not be able to deal with the UNC's.