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Feb 2 / 12:18pm

Create Web Folders in Sharepoint

by 216skillz

HOW TO OPEN MOSS 2007 FOLDERS IN EXPLORER VIEW

Overview: This article provides two options of how to view files from MOSS 2007 (Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007) in a Windows Explorer type view on Vista Operating Systems.

Symptoms: Users are use to accessing MOSS 2007 Explorer views from Internet Explorer for Windows Explorer type functionality such as drag and drop of files. When the users system is upgraded to Microsoft Vista, typical avenues of accessing Windows Explorer views fail.

Cause: This is a known issue that the industry is experiencing; Microsoft has yet to release a fix as of July 10, 2009.

Resolution: Microsoft Vista provides a better feature set for connecting to Web Folders than previously available in Windows XP. Users should leverage either the “Mapped Drives” or “Web Folders” functionality of Vista to access Windows Explorer type functionality of MOSS 2007 folders.

Options: The two options for users are:

  1. Create a Mapped Drive
    1. Mapping a drive to your web folder or document library will present the folder as a “Mapped Drive” icon within the “Computer” window similar to how users see their “C” drive, “CDROM” drive and other mapped drives.
    2. This option will also allow you to assign a drive letter to this folder for easy access from any Windows Explorer address bar. For Example, you decide to map a folder from MOSS 2007 named “ExampleFolderName” to a mapped drive and assign it the letter “E”. You will now see that drive in the “Computer” window and be able to access the drive from any Windows Explorer Address bar by typing in “e:” without the quotes.
  • Create a Web Folder
    1. Creating a web folder mapped to the MOSS 2007 folder or document library requires a similar setup process as mapping to a drive. However, creating a web folder will place a “Folder” icon into your “Computer” windows.
    2. Since creating a web folder does not allow you to map a drive letter, users can only access the web folder via navigation into Windows Explorer. For example, you will see the folder in the “Computer” window as well as from the typical folder hierarchy navigation menu on the left of Windows Explorer windows.

    • INSTRUCTIONS
    Option 1: How to Create Mapped Drive

    1. Identify the link that points to the document library or folder you want connected.
      1. Navigate within the MOSS Portal into the object that you want to connect.
      2. For my example, I want to connect to a Document library, so I’ll navigate into it.
      3. Copy the URL from the address bar of Internet Explorer and paste it into Notepad.
      4. Cleanup the URL
      5. First remove everything prior to “/ChildSite” and then remove everything following “/MyDocumentLibrary”. The red highlighted region below shows what I would remove from my URL, the green show what I need to keep.
        https://Sitename.com/ChildSite/MyDocumentLibrary/Forms/AllItems.aspx  
      6. I end up with /ChildSite/MyDocumentLibrary
  • Create a web folder path by combining the URL from step 1.c.ii with the web folder root path of \\MyServerName@SSL\DavWWWRoot\
    1. For my example of connecting a Document Library I would place the web folder root path at the beginning of my connection and then add my cleaned up URL from my 1.c.ii example to the end which looks like the following. \\MyServerName@SSL\DavWWWRoot\ /ChildSite/MyDocumentLibrary
    2. Correct the forward slashes to back sloshes.
    3. Change from \\MyServerName@SSL\DavWWWRoot\ /ChildSite/MyDocumentLibrary
      To \\MyServerName@SSL\DavWWWRoot\ChildSite\MyDocumentLibrary
  • Run the Map Network Drive Wizard
    1. Open the “Computer” windows, so that you can see your current system drives and look for the “Map Network Drive” button at the top right of the “Computer” window. Press the “Map Network Drive” button to launch the wizard.
    2. In the “Map Network Drive” wizard page titled “What network folder would you like to map?”, Click the “Drive” drop down menu to select the drive letter to be assigned to your new drive
    3. Insure “Reconnect at Logon” is checked
    4. The Web Folder path that you created in step 2.b.ii should be pasted into the “Folder:” field.
       In my example of connecting a Document Library, I will enter the following path into the “Folder:” field.
      \\MyServerName@SSL\DavWWWRoot\ChildSite\MyDocumentLibrary
    5. Click Finish.
    6. If successful, the newly created drive will open automatically. You can now manage files with Windows Explorer functionality.

    • INSTRUCTIONS
    Option 2: How to Create a Web Folder

    1. Complete Steps 1 & 2 Just as Outlined Above for “Option 1: How to Create Mapped Drive”.
    2. Run the Map Network Drive Wizard
      1. Open the “Computer” windows, so that you can see your current system drives and look for the “Map Network Drive” button at the top right of the “Computer” window. Press the “Map Network Drive” button to launch the wizard.
      2. In the “Map Network Drive” wizard page titled “What network folder would you like to map?”, Click the link titled “Connect to a Web site that you can use to store your documents and pictures.”
      3. On the next page titled “Welcome to the Add Network Location Wizard”, click Next.
      4. On the next page titled “Where do you want to create this network location?”, click next.
  • On the next page titled “Specify the location of a website” paste your Web Folder path from step 2.b.ii of “Option 1: How to Create Mapped Drive” into the field titled “Internet or network address”.
    1. In my example of connecting to a Document Library, I will enter the following path into the field titled “Internet or network address” \\MyServerName@SSL\DavWWWRoot\ChildSite\MyDocumentLibrary
    2. Click Next
  • On the next page titled “What do you want to name this location”, type in the name that you want to appear on this folder and then click next.
  • On the next page titled “Completing the Add Network Location Wizard”, click Finish.
  • Close the folder after it opens automatically.
  • Go into the “Computer” window to view your system drives and confirm that you can now see the web folder.
  • You can now manage files with Windows Explorer functionality.

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