Response.Redirect to a UNC path

Question

I'd like to redirect the user to a directory on a file server using its UNC path. I've tried using something like the following but I just get a 404 error.

Response.Redirect(@"file:\\fileserver\data\");

What's the correct syntax to make this work?

Answer 1

I'm not sure about the Response.Redirect method, but you can always write the file for download by the user using Response.WriteFile.

This link might help: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307603/EN-US/

Code Snippet from above link:

private void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
   //Set the appropriate ContentType.
   Response.ContentType = "Application/pdf";
   //Write the file directly to the HTTP output stream.
   Response.WriteFile(@"\\server\folder\file.pdf");
   Response.End();
}

Answer 2

You don't quite have the file protocol identifier correct. Try:

string location = String.Format("file:///{0}", @"\\fileserver\data\");
Response.Redirect(location, true);

Answer 3

file:////server/directory

Or, create a virtual directory in your Website and map it to a path, like /data/

Answer 4

Do the people on your webapp have access to this UNC path?