how to get UNC path for mapped drive path
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I've got x:\path\filename.ext. I want to resolve this to \\MyUnc\Network\path\filename.ext. Any thoughts on how to do this programatically? Thanks.
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Answers (1)
  Prof. X
      
 on 21 Feb 2022
        
      Edited: Prof. X
      
 on 21 Feb 2022
  
      If on Windows, you can use system('net use'). I use the following function in one of my codes. I'm sure there is a more efficient way to code this but this works for me.
function MappedPath = findMappedDrive(DriveLetter)
% DriveLetter is just the letter that represents the drive without a
% colon, type char.
            DriveLetter = [DriveLetter ':'];
            system('net use >netuseRun.txt')
            netuseOpen = fopen('netuseRun.txt');
            tScan = textscan(netuseOpen,'%s','Delimiter','\n');
            fclose(netuseOpen);
            delete('netuseRun.txt');
            str = string(tScan{:});
            locate = contains(str,DriveLetter);
            locatemd = strfind(str(locate),'\\');
            conv = char(str(locate));
            MappedPath = strtrim(conv(locatemd:end));
end
Sometimes there may be stuff that gets added at the end of the MappedPath like 'Windows Mapped Drive' so you may want to make a check using exist(MappedPath,'dir'). Hope this helps.
1 Comment
  Wolfie
 on 26 Sep 2025
				
      Edited: Wolfie
 on 26 Sep 2025
  
			Taking inspiration from this, it could be sortened by using the 2nd output of system instead of a temp file, and then using regexp to extract the line after the desired drive letter
Your comment about removing additional stuff like "Windows Mapped Drive" or "Microsoft Windows Network" still applies.
driveLetter = 'X';
[~,netuse] = system( 'net use' );
mappedPath = strtrim( regexp( netuse, ['(?<=' driveLetter ':).+?^'], 'match', 'once', 'lineanchors' ) );
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