No refresh of shown network share after mapping a drive letter to another share

[Tom]

Assume that W: is mapped to \\pc1\c$. Then I see in the panel drop down list:
(W:) c$ (\\pc1)
and I see W: in the drive bar.

If I disconnect the drive W: then W: disappears from panel drop down list and from drive bar.

If I then connect W: to \\pc2\d$ then W: appears again on panel drop down list and on drive bar. But in panel drop down list is not shown the expected
(W:) d$ (\\pc2)

Instead the old mapping is shown:
(W:) c$ (\\pc1)

Of course W: is correctly connected to \\pc2\d$ only the wrong (old) mapping is shown.

The mapping/disconnecting commands are done from Windows. I'm pretty sure that Windows informs all opened programs about the changes in drive letters. MC get the info (W: disappears from drive bar) but on a new mapping MC does not re-read all connected network drives and therefore uses the old values from first mapping.

At work I have to manage several hundreds of PCs. So remapping drive letters is often be done. Therefore it's a bit confusing if the wrong mapping is shown.

[Tom]

If I restart MC then of course the list of mapped drives is re-read and then the drop down list shows the correct mappings. So the mismatch only occurs when changing mappings while MC is running.

[Mathias (Author)]

MC should receive information if the device is disconnected. and normally is.
Not sure why it does not work for you. Might depends on what typ of network device it is.

Last in the Device dropdown menu, you find "refresh devices", That should refresh everything in the list.

[Tom]

Ok, found "Refresh Devices" in the Device dropdown menu. But how can I run "Refresh Devices" automatically after a new mapping? I use an external program (Rundll32 Shell32.dll,SHHelpShortcuts_RunDLL Connect) to map a drive. I added as User Command "Map network drive..." and combined it with hotkey F11. I haven't found an internal command "Refresh devices". But even if this would exist, I have no idea how to combine an external with an internal command.

Anyway MC should do the "Refresh Devices" itself without any interactive or user defined action.

[Mathias (Author)]

You can't.. You should not need to
And I said.. Normally Windows will let MC know when new devices are added or removed, If that is not happening for you then something is blocking that message from reaching MC.
(Can happen if you run MC with sandboxing or other similar security technologies to limit programs )

In Core Settings > Logging. if the Application log Level is at least "Info" or higher ( Info or debug ) then in the application log (ctrl+L) you will see if MC is receiving device broadcast info or not.
Looking like this

Code: [Select]

2016-12-17 15:22:28.126 Device Change Broadcast received. (Device Arrival) New Media : F
2016-12-17 15:23:12.684 Device Change Broadcast received. (Device Removed) Remove Drive : F

[Tom]

I checked the Log and they show the  "Device Change Broadcast received messages":

2016-12-17 17:48:03.128 Device Change Broadcast received. (Device Arrival) New Media : W
2016-12-17 17:48:23.437 Device Change Broadcast received. (Device Removed) Remove Drive : W
2016-12-17 17:48:30.117 Device Change Broadcast received. (Device Arrival) New Media : W

But it is even more worse. If I click on "Refresh Devices" the mapping still shows the wrong mapping. (Just checked with MC v6.5 (build 2301).)

[Mathias (Author)]

Not sure what fails for you.. It works for me. I can't make it fail

[Tom]

I just downloaded and unpacked the portable version of MC. This shows the same error for me. So I must assume that it does not depend on the settings of my installed MC. I observed the same error in W10 Pro 64bit at home and W7 Ultimate 64bit at work.  I can't make it working for me. Every other commander program I use shows always the correct mapping.

Anyone else with the same problem?
(If you don't have a second PC you could use \\[your hostname]\c$ and \\localhost\c$ to simulate a change in drive mapping. )

[Tom]

Still the same behaviour in MC 6.9.1 (build 2306).

Is there really no one else willing to test this? I have the problem on all PCs I tested and also in an unaltered portable MC. Mathias never had this problem. What about the other MC users? Please be so kind to report your experiences. Thanks.

[ice-man]

This works for me..

Is this what you do ?


* Map network share to W:
* W: show up in MC
* Diconnect W:
* W: is removed from MC
* Map anohter network share to W:
* W: show up in MC mapped to new location

[Tom]

Hi ice-man,

thanks for testing. Yes this is exactly what I want to do. This works also for me but the panel drop down list is not refreshed. Choosing  "Refresh Devices" from the panel drop down list neither refreshs. So W: is mapping to another share while the panel drop down list still shows the old (first) mapping. Only if I close MC and start it again the panel drop down list is refreshed. 

So to be sure: your panel drop down list is correctly refreshed with the new mapping? How do you map? Is your network share also a windows share?

[ice-man]

Hi ice-man,

thanks for testing. Yes this is exactly what I want to do. This works also for me but the panel drop down list is not refreshed. Choosing  "Refresh Devices" from the panel drop down list neither refreshs. So W: is mapping to another share while the panel drop down list still shows the old (first) mapping. Only if I close MC and start it again the panel drop down list is refreshed. 

So to be sure: your panel drop down list is correctly refreshed with the new mapping? How do you map? Is your network share also a windows share?

Hmm I did not really pay that much attention to the text.. I only checked that when I browsed to W: the second time it showed me the content of the new network share.
So you mean it is only the "display" text in the dropdown is show incorrect, the actually content when going to W: is correct ?

[Tom]

So you mean it is only the "display" text in the dropdown is show incorrect, the actually content when going to W: is correct ?

Exactly!

[ice-man]

Ahh ok. I never really look at that. (On my way out now So can't check again now..)

I guessed it might be cached if it is reused or something, But as long as the actual content it shows is correct, Then it is not that critical.