Deploying settings when the application is installed on a different drive letter to the workstation

Symptoms

My images are not displaying when I try to deploy from a workstation to a server where the workstation has the application installed in the c: drive and the server in the D: drive.

Cause

This is due to the file location in the source code is located in the c: drive on the deploying machine.

Work Around

There are 3 solutions available to you, although named here this article only covers the use of the SUBST command in windows.
  • Manually edit the source code every time you wish to deploy. The source can be found in the source tab of the edit/preview disclaimer, all you need to do is change the drive letter
  • Host the image on a HTTP server, thus removing the issue completely
  • Use the SUBST command
Please ensure that the drive letter that you are substituting to is free on both the server and the client machine. Here we are using the drive letter W: To use the subst command you will need to perform several actions.
On the workstation:
  1. Open a CMD window
  2. Type SUBST w: "c:\program files\exclaimer"
  3. Hit Enter
Please ensure that this drive letter is not in use on the server. If it is, please change the letter to another.
On the Server:
  1. Open a CMD window
  2. Type SUBST w: "D:\program files\exclaimer"
  3. Hit Enter
The SUBST command will not be active after a reboot and therefore you will need to create a batch file in order to re-establish this on each boot.
On the Workstation
  • Please create a text document and then change the extension to .bat
  • Using Notepad Edit this file and insert the following SUBST w: "c:\program files\exclaimer"
  • Save the file in the STARTUP menu in the Start menu bar
On the server perform the same task, but change the Exclaimer path to the other drive.
Once the SUBST has been performed and the drive mapping is created, please insert the picture using the W: drive location. When you deploy the settings, the pictures will automatically be transfered with the common W: path being used.