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[Mastiff]

I have one computer with all the files, and I access those from several other computers. The way I do it is by simply mounting the four music partitions as network drives E to H on all the other computers. Now the annoying thing is that if the drive isn't connected correctly at startup (which sometimes happen, especially with wireless computers) MC won't access those files. But if I click on that drive in Explorer, sot it opens, I can go straight back and play the files in MC. If Explorer can connect to the drive on demand, why can't MC?

[hit_ny]

How bout when you start up the wireless machine, then try to ping the server machine in a cmd window.

Will MC now see the networked drive w/o using explorer first ?

[Mastiff]

I haven't tried that. I'll try next time I do this. If that works, it's easy. I just let Girder run a ping on startup!

[NickM]

Finally, something that I can tell Mastiff...  I had this problem ( and posted it here a while ago ).  Upon Windows start-up it just takes time to connect network drives, so a delay command in MC start-up ensures that the drives are connected before MC tries to access them.
Further to ths post, I now see that if you follow a UNC path, there is no problem.  I guess that in resolving an UNC path, the windows sub-system waits a while to look up the path if it is not already connected.

nick

[Mastiff]

Thanks, Nick, but the problem is that the drives sometimes just don't connect themselves. I have had a Girder command that opened up all the drive windows and then closed them, it's just so clumsy...

[NickM]

Do you get the same problem using UNC?  And it may be a little obvious, but when you map a network drive in windows, there's a "Reconnect at Logon" check box.
nick

[Mastiff]

I do reconnect at logon, yes. I have been using networked drives for more years than I like to think of... But what's UNC? I assume you're not talkin about the University of North Carolina...

[NickM]

Unified Naming Convention ( I think?).  In the format
\\server_name\share_name

nick

[vetty]

I'm using this script  (inspired from other forum messages):

It waits for a while (30 seconds here so the wireless connection has some time to establish itself);
then launches an explorer (to reconnect the disconnected network drives)
then at last it launches NetRemote (but you could replace it w/ MC).

Be careful: no long names in scripts (hence the 'NetReM~1\NetReM~1.exe' format).

<package>
   <job id="vbs">
      <script language="VBScript">
         set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
         WScript.Sleep 30000
         WshShell.Run("d:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /e,z:\")
         WScript.Sleep 5000
    WshShell.Run("d:\Progra~1\htpc\NetReM~1\NetReM~1.exe")
      </script>
   </job>
</package>

This script is embedded in a file named 'init.wsf'.
I created a shortcut to it in the Startup folder.
As it launches MC, you need to disable the auto-start in MC options.

Hope this helps!

Laurent

[Mastiff]

OK, pinging doesn't work. And this script is somewhat like the script I'm using for Girder, but thanks. But I still find it strange that MC can't get a network drive running when other media players can, and not just WMP. I suppose it's got something to do with MC operatin with a library, not opening the files directly. Because when I try to open a file in MC from a not yet reconncted network drive, that works.

[JimH]

I still find it strange that MC can't get a network drive running ...

It's the job of the OS to find the drive.  If that doesn't happen, MC won't find it.  We can see about adding a delay in the next version.

[NickM]

A delay would be really great - not only are my music files on a network drive, but so is the library...
Thanks, nick

[Mastiff]

For my part it won't do much, I'm afraid, since the drives won't surface later. If they're not discovered on startup, they need to be fixed manually or in a Girder script. And having MC send a wakeup call to the OS for all drives it has files on would be overkill. But I'll just do it with Girder. I wanted to check first that I hadn't overlooked some easy solution in MC. Thanks anyway, Jim!

[vetty]

How does your drive appear in the Explorer when you boot (in the Details view): 'Network drive' or 'Disconnected network drive'?

I've never been able to access some network drive before launching an explorer on them (like in the script), even after a 1mn delay. It even happens on a network drive that is pointing on the same PC!

Anyway I'm not sure any program (except Explorer) can reconnect your drive...
And just by curiousity are you sure a disconnected drive can be access / discovered by WMP?
And do you have experiences w/ other softwares that do the trick?

Laurent

[Mastiff]

Well, like I said any program can access disconnected drives if you do "open file", also MC, but MC can't do it from the library. What I see is "disconnected network" drive, but strangely enough some of them has the red x on the connection, and some of them doesn't. They're still out of range, though.

[vetty]

Mastiff, the 'open file' dialog is kind of an Explorer part, so it does the trick.

Maybe MC could automatically open & close an Open File dialog box (hidden would be perfect) targeting the default library drive...

I'm obviously kidding! More seriously are you sure you've set enough delay in your script before opening the explorer? (and could you post it, it's always instructive to see how other people configure their PC)

Laurent

[Mastiff]

I think you may have misunderstood me. There is no problem when I have used my Girder script (Lua 5) to open the drives, close them again and then open MC. I was just looking for a way to avoid using that all together.

[lambert282]

Do you use the "control userpasswords2" function to set XP up for auto logon?  If you do as a test disable it then reboot, when the logon screen appears do not logon immediately but wait at least 2 minutes.  Then logon and leave Windows to fill up the system tray and start up apps.  Do you still get the problem under these circumstances?

[vetty]

I think you may have misunderstood me. There is no problem when I have used my Girder script (Lua 5) to open the drives, close them again and then open MC. I was just looking for a way to avoid using that all together.

Ooops, I see... sorry about this