Gaining Access to Resources

This chapter describes how to use DiskAccess to gain access to directories and files on an NFS server. For more information, refer to the DiskAccess Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) file (answers.wri) or to DiskAccess Help (DACCESS.hlp).

3.1 Mounting File Systems

DiskAccess lets you connect to a remote NFS server to mount file systems. When you mount a file system, you connect to the files and directories in the file system over the network. Once mounted, the directories and files on the remote system are treated as if they are on your own system.

By default, the DiskAccess property sheet displays when you attempt to connect to an NFS server. If you do not want to see the dialog box (Windows 9x) or property sheet (Windows NT and Windows 2000/XP) each time you connect to a remote system, access the DiskAccess property sheet from the Control Panel and clear the Display This Dialog on Connect checkbox.

You can connect to a remote system from Explorer, Network Neighborhood, or My Network Places.

If you chose to have the DiskAccess property sheet display when you attempt to connect to an NFS server, the DiskAccess Configuration dialog box (Windows 9x) or property sheet (Windows NT and Windows 2000/XP) displays to let you select alternate credentials and mount options. (See chapter 2, Installing and Configuring DiskAccess, and DiskAccess Help for detailed information on the DiskAccess Configuration dialog box or property sheet.) If you choose not to display the dialog box or property sheet on a connection attempt, the default configuration (including the user name and password, if any) is used.

After your username and password are verified by the NFS server, the NFS Login message box displays. Check the information in the NFS Login Successful box and click Yes to complete the connection to the remote system. If your NFS Login is successful, the message box looks similar to the one shown in Figure 3-1.

NOTE

If the login fails, you have the option of displaying the DiskAccess property sheet again to enter a different user name, password, or login server.

The directory structure on the server is displayed in an Explorer window. You can list the contents of NFS directories and navigate the file system as you normally do in Explorer.

3.1.2 Mounting a File System from Network Neighborhood

Double-click the Network Neighborhood icon.
In Windows 9x systems, double-click the NFS Network icon.
In Windows NT systems, double-click the Entire Network icon, then the NFS Network icon.
Double-click the icon for the remote server you want to access. A window is created for the selected server. You can list the contents of directories and navigate the file system as you normally do in Network Neighborhood.

NOTE

The base default configuration settings are used when connecting to a remote system from the Network Neighborhood, and the DiskAccess property sheet is not displayed, even if you selected the Display on Connect check box.

3.1.32 Mounting a File System from My Network Places

Double-click the My Network Places icon.
In Windows 2000/XP systems, double-click the Entire Network icon, then the NFS Network icon.
Double-click the icon for the remote server you want to access. A window is created for the selected server. You can list the contents of directories and navigate the file system as you normally do in My Network Places.

3.2 Displaying NFS Attributes Properties

You can display information about a file or a directory without having to open it. The information is displayed on a properties sheet.

3.2.1 The NFS Attributes Properties Sheet

To see the properties sheet for a file or a directory:

Highlight the name of the file or the directory in Explorer.
Click the right mouse button. A menu displays.
Select Properties. The properties sheet for the file or directory is displayed.
If it is not already selected, select the NFS Attributes tab to see the NFS information for the file or directory.
To make changes to the NFS properties, type in the information or select checkboxes and click Apply.
Click OK to dismiss the properties sheet. To dismiss the properties sheet without making any changes, click Cancel.

Figure 3-2 is an example of an NFS Attributes properties sheet in DiskAccess for Windows 9x.

Figure 3-3 is an example of the NFS Attributes properties sheet in DiskAccess for Windows XP.

Each area of the NFS Attributes properties sheet is briefly explained in the following table:

Type	Describes the type of file or directory. The types can be a regular file, a directory, a non-file, a block-special device, a character-special device, or a symbolic link.
Size	Indicates the size of the file or directory, in bytes.
File ID	Displays the number that uniquely identifies the file or directory within the file system.
Device Number (Windows 9x only)	Displays the device number of the file if it is a character-special file or a block-special file.
Blocks (Windows 9x only)	Indicates the number of blocks that the file or directory takes up on the hard disk.
Block Size (Windows 9x)	Displays the number of bytes used by the file on the server.
Used (Windows NT)	Displays the number of bytes used by the file on the server.
Links	Displays the number of hard links to the file (that is, the number of different names for the same file).
File System ID	Displays the file system identifier for the file system containing the file.
Last Access Time	Displays the time when the file was last opened for a read or write operation.
Last Modification Time	Displays the time when the data in the file was last modified (written).
Last Status Change Time	Displays the time when the file status was last changed.
File Attributes Section	Displays the permissions on the file or directory for the owner, group, and others. If either of the Set UID or Set GID checkboxes are checked, the system gives the user the same permissions as the owner of the file or directory.
Owner (UID)	Displays the numerical user ID of the owner of the file or directory.
Group (GID)	Displays the numerical group ID of the owner of the file or directory.

3.2.2 The NFS Mount Options Tab

The NFS Mount Options tab shows the choices you made when establishing the NFS mount.

Figure 3-4 is an example of the NFS Mount Options properties sheet for Windows 9x systems.

Figure 3-5 is an example of the NFS Mount Options properties sheet for Windows XP systems.

Each area of the NFS Mount Options properties sheet is briefly explained in the following table:

UID	The file owner’s numerical user ID. This number is obtained by DiskAccess during authentication. Authentication is performed when the NFS drive is mounted.
Primary GID	The numerical ID of the first group that the corresponding UID user belongs to.
Secondary GIDs	The numerical IDs of all other groups that the corresponding UID user belongs to.
File Access	The types of default file access permissions for files or directories that you created on the remote server.
Read Buffer Size	The size in bytes of the buffer used for read operations.
Write Buffer Size	The size in bytes of the buffer used for write operations.
Initial Timeout	The amount of time to wait for a response when attempting an operation on the remote server if the system is soft-mounted.
Retries	The number of times to resubmit a request to a remote server.
Mount Type	The type of mounted file system.
Mounted NFS Version (Windows NT/2000 only)	The version of NFS supported on the server.
Support NFS Version 3 (Windows 9x only)	Specifies that NFS Version 3 can be used with the client system if it is supported on the server.
Enable Locking	Prevents other users from gaining access to files you open on the server, if file locking is supported by the server and all other clients that gain access to the same files as your application.
Enable Caching (Windows NT/2000) Enable Local Caching (Windows 9x)	Specifies data be written to the local cache by the client system.
Enable Version 3 Remote Write Caching (Windows NT/2000)	Specifies data written to the remote system’s cache.
Enable Remote Write Caching (Windows 9x)	Specifies data written to the remote system’s cache.
New Filename Case (Windows NT/2000) Filename Case (Windows 9x)	Specifies how upper- and lowercase letters in filenames are treated after you created files and directories.
Existing Filename Case	Specifies how upper- and lowercase letters in existing filenames are treated.
Provide Unique 8.3 Format Names (Windows NT/2000/XP only)	Generates 8.3 format names for long filenames.

3.3 Disconnecting from the Remote System

When you have finished with the files and directories on the remote system, disconnect from the remote system. After completing the following steps, the connection between your system and the remote system is ended, and the file system is unmounted.

3.3.1 Disconnecting from the remote system using Explorer:

Select Tools from the toolbar.
Select Disconnect Network Drive from the Tools menu.

3.3.2 Disconnecting from the remote system using Network Neighborhood:

Select File from the toolbar.
Select Close from the File menu.