Database query representation impersonating file on Windows share?

Question

Is there any way to have something that looks just like a file on a Windows file share but is really a resource served up over HTTP?

For context, I'm working with an old app that can only deal with files on a Windows file share, I want to create a simple HTTP-based service to serve the content of the files dynamically to pick up real time changes to the underlying data on request

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Thanks for the tips - I've got some research to do now...

Thanks all,

Answer 1

WebDAV (basically) takes an existing directory, and shares it over HTTP - which sounds like the opposite of what you want.

You need something that speaks SMB/CIFS on one end, and your own code on the other. The easiest way to do that is with a userspace file system.

To that end, here's a couple of links:

1. WinFUSE, which is kind of a barebones CIFS/SMB server that can host your own filesystem. I've done a couple of small samples with it - and the docs are terrible, but it more or less worked.
2. Dokan, a userspace file driver with .NET bindings. I haven't used this one, but it looks promising. It has both .NET and Ruby bindings, so you should be able to get a POC up pretty quickly.
3. Callback File System - yet another userspace file system. Again, I have no experience with this one.
4. A Linux box with SAMBA and FUSE that shares the drive out to the Windows box.

Answer 2

This won't answer your question in any meaningful way, but maybe it will get you pointed in the right direction. Look into serving the "file(s)" via WebDAV--SharePoint uses this and its files can be accessed exactly as you want, as a file share where the transport mechanism is HTTP. Unfortunately I can't give any more detailed info, as I've only worked on the client end of WebDAV and not the server side of things.

Answer 3

I think serving up files from WebDAV might be what you're looking for.