The way to solve your problem is to use a Win32 API called WNetUseConnection.
Use this function to connect to a UNC path with authentication, NOT to map a drive.
This will allow you to connect to a remote machine, even if it is not on the same domain, and even if it has a different username and password.
Once you have used WNetUseConnection you will be able to access the file via a UNC path as if you were on the same domain. The best way is probably through the administrative built in shares.
Example: \\computername\c$\program files\Folder\file.txt
Here is some sample C# code that uses WNetUseConnection.
Note, for the NetResource, you should pass null for the lpLocalName and lpProvider. The dwType should be RESOURCETYPE_DISK. The lpRemoteName should be \\ComputerName.
using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices ;
using System.Threading;
namespace ExtremeMirror
{
public class PinvokeWindowsNetworking
{
#region Consts
const int RESOURCE_CONNECTED = 0x00000001;
const int RESOURCE_GLOBALNET = 0x00000002;
const int RESOURCE_REMEMBERED = 0x00000003;
const int RESOURCETYPE_ANY = 0x00000000;
const int RESOURCETYPE_DISK = 0x00000001;
const int RESOURCETYPE_PRINT = 0x00000002;
const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_GENERIC = 0x00000000;
const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_DOMAIN = 0x00000001;
const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_SERVER = 0x00000002;
const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_SHARE = 0x00000003;
const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_FILE = 0x00000004;
const int RESOURCEDISPLAYTYPE_GROUP = 0x00000005;
const int RESOURCEUSAGE_CONNECTABLE = 0x00000001;
const int RESOURCEUSAGE_CONTAINER = 0x00000002;
const int CONNECT_INTERACTIVE = 0x00000008;
const int CONNECT_PROMPT = 0x00000010;
const int CONNECT_REDIRECT = 0x00000080;
const int CONNECT_UPDATE_PROFILE = 0x00000001;
const int CONNECT_COMMANDLINE = 0x00000800;
const int CONNECT_CMD_SAVECRED = 0x00001000;
const int CONNECT_LOCALDRIVE = 0x00000100;
#endregion
#region Errors
const int NO_ERROR = 0;
const int ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED = 5;
const int ERROR_ALREADY_ASSIGNED = 85;
const int ERROR_BAD_DEVICE = 1200;
const int ERROR_BAD_NET_NAME = 67;
const int ERROR_BAD_PROVIDER = 1204;
const int ERROR_CANCELLED = 1223;
const int ERROR_EXTENDED_ERROR = 1208;
const int ERROR_INVALID_ADDRESS = 487;
const int ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER = 87;
const int ERROR_INVALID_PASSWORD = 1216;
const int ERROR_MORE_DATA = 234;
const int ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS = 259;
const int ERROR_NO_NET_OR_BAD_PATH = 1203;
const int ERROR_NO_NETWORK = 1222;
const int ERROR_BAD_PROFILE = 1206;
const int ERROR_CANNOT_OPEN_PROFILE = 1205;
const int ERROR_DEVICE_IN_USE = 2404;
const int ERROR_NOT_CONNECTED = 2250;
const int ERROR_OPEN_FILES = 2401;
private struct ErrorClass
{
public int num;
public string message;
public ErrorClass(int num, string message)
{
this.num = num;
this.message = message;
}
}
// Created with excel formula:
// ="new ErrorClass("&A1&", """&PROPER(SUBSTITUTE(MID(A1,7,LEN(A1)-6), "_", " "))&"""), "
private static ErrorClass[] ERROR_LIST = new ErrorClass[] {
new ErrorClass(ERROR_ACCESS_DENIED, "Error: Access Denied"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_ALREADY_ASSIGNED, "Error: Already Assigned"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_BAD_DEVICE, "Error: Bad Device"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_BAD_NET_NAME, "Error: Bad Net Name"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_BAD_PROVIDER, "Error: Bad Provider"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_CANCELLED, "Error: Cancelled"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_EXTENDED_ERROR, "Error: Extended Error"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_INVALID_ADDRESS, "Error: Invalid Address"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER, "Error: Invalid Parameter"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_INVALID_PASSWORD, "Error: Invalid Password"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_MORE_DATA, "Error: More Data"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_NO_MORE_ITEMS, "Error: No More Items"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_NO_NET_OR_BAD_PATH, "Error: No Net Or Bad Path"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_NO_NETWORK, "Error: No Network"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_BAD_PROFILE, "Error: Bad Profile"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_CANNOT_OPEN_PROFILE, "Error: Cannot Open Profile"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_DEVICE_IN_USE, "Error: Device In Use"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_EXTENDED_ERROR, "Error: Extended Error"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_NOT_CONNECTED, "Error: Not Connected"),
new ErrorClass(ERROR_OPEN_FILES, "Error: Open Files"),
};
private static string getErrorForNumber(int errNum)
{
foreach (ErrorClass er in ERROR_LIST)
{
if (er.num == errNum) return er.message;
}
return "Error: Unknown, " + errNum;
}
#endregion
[DllImport("Mpr.dll")] private static extern int WNetUseConnection(
IntPtr hwndOwner,
NETRESOURCE lpNetResource,
string lpPassword,
string lpUserID,
int dwFlags,
string lpAccessName,
string lpBufferSize,
string lpResult
);
[DllImport("Mpr.dll")] private static extern int WNetCancelConnection2(
string lpName,
int dwFlags,
bool fForce
);
[StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential)] private class NETRESOURCE
{
public int dwScope = 0;
public int dwType = 0;
public int dwDisplayType = 0;
public int dwUsage = 0;
public string lpLocalName = "";
public string lpRemoteName = "";
public string lpComment = "";
public string lpProvider = "";
}
public static string connectToRemote(string remoteUNC, string username, string password)
{
return connectToRemote(remoteUNC, username, password, false);
}
public static string connectToRemote(string remoteUNC, string username, string password, bool promptUser)
{
NETRESOURCE nr = new NETRESOURCE();
nr.dwType = RESOURCETYPE_DISK;
nr.lpRemoteName = remoteUNC;
// nr.lpLocalName = "F:";
int ret;
if (promptUser)
ret = WNetUseConnection(IntPtr.Zero, nr, "", "", CONNECT_INTERACTIVE | CONNECT_PROMPT, null, null, null);
else
ret = WNetUseConnection(IntPtr.Zero, nr, password, username, 0, null, null, null);
if (ret == NO_ERROR) return null;
return getErrorForNumber(ret);
}
public static string disconnectRemote(string remoteUNC)
{
int ret = WNetCancelConnection2(remoteUNC, CONNECT_UPDATE_PROFILE, false);
if (ret == NO_ERROR) return null;
return getErrorForNumber(ret);
}
}
}
