Finding network shares

[omik_1]

Dose anyone know the best way to go about detecting each computer on a network and determine if each has a shared resource with a particular name?

I am seeking a way to give my app the ability to auto detect the server and configure itself. Each client app require a UNC path for the database location and setting it manually is what I currently do.


This is the Idea

I would "FindAllComputerNamesOnNetwork" then "FindAllSharesOnEachComputer".

On Application Startup

If Datapath := ' ' then
begin
Datapath := ' \\' + ComputerNameWithParticularShare + ' \' + ParticularShare
end;

Any suggestions appreciated

[Blunty Killer]

Here is a code snippet taken from Google Groups:

function TMainWin.EnumClients(tar:TStrings):DWord;
var ContinueEnumeration:boolean;
   Function WNetEnumeration(PNetContainer: PNetResource):DWord;
   var BufferSize,NetEntries:DWORD;
       i:Integer;
       NetResources:TNetResources;
       NetHandle:THandle;
       Text:String;
   begin
      Result:=WNetOpenEnum(RESOURCE_GLOBALNET,RESOURCETYPE_ANY,
        RESOURCEUSAGE_CONTAINER,PNetContainer,NetHandle);
      if Result<>NO_ERROR then
         exit;
      ContinueEnumeration:=True;
      while ContinueEnumeration do
      begin
         NetEntries:=MaxNetResources;
         BufferSize:=SizeOf(NetResources);

Result:=WNetEnumResource(NetHandle,NetEntries,@NetResources[0],BufferSize);

         if Result=NO_ERROR then
         begin
            for i:=0 to Pred(NetEntries)do
            begin
               if NetResources[i].dwDisplayType=RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_SERVER
then
               begin
                  text:=NetResources[i].lpRemoteName;
                  while Pos('\',text)=1 do
                     Delete(text,1,1);
                  tar.Add(Text+' '+GetIP(Text));
               end;
               if NetResources[i].dwUsage<>RESOURCEUSAGE_CONNECTABLE then
                  WNetEnumeration(@NetResources[i]);
            end;
         end
         else
         begin
            Result:=GetLastError;
            ContinueEnumeration:=Result=ERROR_MORE_DATA;
         end;
      end;
      if NetHandle<>0 then
         WNetCloseEnum(NetHandle);
   end;
begin
   tar.Clear;
   Result:=WNetEnumeration(nil);
end;

This will give you the list of clients.

You could just set the database path in an ini file once and each client on startup would use those settings. That's more conventional than scanning the whole network for a particular resource.

[Artificial_Intelligence]

What if there appends to be more than one share with the same name on the network......or the server on which the file resides has restrictions preventing you from seeing it........like a fire wall?

I would think a more robust solution would be needed.
I would say allow your clients to talk to a configuration server/application that would tell them where the resource is..
This should eliminate the need for SMB/cifs broadcast which would get killed by some firewalls anyway -> a central/secure setting...etc.

You could use tcp/ip or some other form of IPC for this kind of thing to work...if you need help ill be willing to try and help..