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March 10th
1997

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CHAPTER 5

The Station Manager



The Station Manager is a menu-driven version of the NET SHARE and NET USE commands. It allows you to share drives, directories, printers and serial ports on the fly. It also allows you to connect to these devices on the fly from within your application software.

The Station Manager is accessed through the DOS-NET Main Menu using the network pop-up keys. These are normally CTRL+ALT+Right Shift keys. From the DOS-NET Main Menu select Station Manager. The following is a step by step guide to all the features of the Station Manager.

Network Drives

Network DriveSelecting Network Drives from the Station Manager's Main Menu will display the available network drive commands.

Connecting to a network drive

Network Drive ConnectionsTo connect to a server's shared drive or directory, select Connect Drives.


Network Drive ListSelect the drive letter you wish to use as your network drive.

The last drive in the drive list is set by the LASTDRIVE= parameter in the client machine's CONFIG.SYS file.


Network Server ListSelect the server machine you wish to connect to from the network server list. You may use the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the list if there are more than ten servers.


Network Share List

Now, select the shared drive you wish to connect to, from the list of available drives shown in your list.

Network Drive ConnectedAfter selecting the shared drive, your drive list will display which server, and which drive, directory, or network name you are connected to.


You may now use drive F: as a network drive, from the DOS prompt, or from within your software.

Disconnecting from a network drive

Disconnect Network DriveTo disconnect from a network drive, select that network drive from the Station Manager's drive list, and press Enter. Then select Disconnect from network.

Sharing a drive

Share a DriveTo share a drive or directory with client users, select Add Network Drive.


Share via NAMEIf you wish to assign a network name to the shared drive or directory, type the name in the network name box. If you do not wish to assign a network name simply press Enter.


Network Path Next, type the directory name that you wish to share.

If you wish to share an entire drive, type the drive and colon, e.g. C: then press the Enter key.


Network PasswordYou will then be prompted for a password for the shared drive or directory. If you do not wish to assign a password, simply press Enter.


Network RightsNext, you must assign the access rights for the drive or directory. All users who connect to the shared device will be limited to the chosen access rights.

The PROTECT.COM program must be loaded on the server, before access rights take effect.

Stop sharing a drive

Stop Sharing Network DriveTo stop sharing a previously shared drive or directory, select Del Network Drive.


Delete Share List
Select the drive or directory entry you wish to stop sharing, then press Enter. That drive will be removed from the share list.

Any clients already connected to that shared drive or directory will remain connected.

Viewing shared drives

View Shared DrivesYou can view the shared drives and directories by selecting View Shared Drives.


View Shared Drive List
The share list displays a Y in the P column, if a password is required.

Also displayed are the access rights.

Network Printers

Network PrintersSelecting Network Printers from the Station Manager's Main Menu will display the available network printer commands.


Connect Network Printer

Connecting to a network printer

To connect to a server's shared printer, select Connect Printers.


Select Printer DeviceSelect the device you wish to use as your network printer.


Select ServerSelect the server machine you wish to connect to from the network server list. You may use the up and down arrow keys to scroll through the list, if there are more than ten servers.


Select Shared PrinterNow, select the shared printer you wish to connect to, from the list of available printers shown.


Connected PrinterAfter selecting the shared printer, your printer list will display the server and printer or network name that you are connected to.
Disconnect Printer

Disconnecting from a network printer

To disconnect from a network printer, select that printer from the Station Manager's printer list, and press Enter. Then select Disconnect from network.
Share a Printer

Sharing a printer

To share a printer with client users, select Add Network Printer.


Share via NAMEIf you wish to assign a network name to the shared printer device, type the name in the network name box. If you do not wish to assign a network name simply press Enter.


Select DeviceNext, select which printer device you want to share.


PasswordYou will then be prompted to assign a password to the shared printer. If you do not wish to assign a password, simply press Enter.

Stop sharing a printer

Delete Network PrinterTo stop sharing a previously shared printer, select Del Network Printer.


Delete Net NameSelect the printer you want to stop sharing and press Enter. Any clients already connected to that shared printer will remain connected.

Viewing shared printers

View Shared PrintersYou can view all shared printers on a server by selecting View Shared Printers.


View Shared Printer ListIf you have shared more printers than are shown, you can scroll up and down through the list, using the arrow keys.

Network Serial Ports

Network COM PortsSelecting Network COM Ports from the Station Manager's Main Menu will display the available serial port commands.

Connecting to a network serial port

Connect COM PortsTo connect to a server's shared serial port, select Connect COM Ports.


Select DeviceSelect the device you wish to use as your network serial port.


Select ServerSelect the server machine you wish to connect to from the network server list. You may use the up and down arrow keys to scroll through this list if there are more than ten servers.


Select ServerNow select the shared serial port you wish to connect to from the list of available serial ports on that server.


Connected COM PortsAfter selecting the shared serial port, your serial port list will display the server and device or network name that you are connected to.

Disconnecting from a network serial port

Disconnect PortTo disconnect from a network Serial Port, select that network drive from the Station Manager's drive list and press Enter. Then select Disconnect from network.

Sharing a serial port

Share a COM PortTo share a serial port with client users, select Add Network COM port.


Share via NETNAMEIf you wish to assign a network name to the serial port, type the network name in the box.


Select PortNext, select which serial port device you wish to share.


Select PasswordYou will then be prompted to assign a password to the shared serial port. If you do not wish to assign a password, simply press Enter.

Stop sharing a serial port

Stop Sharing COM PortTo stop sharing a previously shared serial port, select Del Network COM port.


Stop Sharing COM PortSelect the serial port you wish to stop sharing, and press Enter.

Any clients already connected to the shared serial port will remain connected.

Viewing shared serial ports

View Shared PortsYou can view all shared serial ports on a server by selecting View Shared COM Ports.


This will display all shared serial ports on the server.View Shared Ports



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