Many of the File Transfer CS objects, methods, and properties allow path to system files and directories to be specified. These paths can be specified as either physical or virtual. While the type of path being used is automatically detected by ActiveFile, it is important to understand the difference in order to develop your File Transfer CS application so that it meets your specific needs.

Path Topics

Physical Paths
Virtual Paths
Paths stored in Archives

Physical paths represent Windows system paths and can be used to reference files and directories that may or may not be web shared. Physical paths must be absolute path names, starting with a drive letter (d:\) or a network drive specifier (\\). Relative physical paths are not supported.

Physical paths are useful for accessing files and directories that you don't want to be web shared. This allows your ASP application to access the files, even though a web client can not.

In some environments, particularly virtual web sites hosted by ISPs, access to physical paths may be undersirable. If this is the case, physical path access can be disabled by setting the following registry value:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Infomentum\ActiveFile\AllowPaths = VirtualOnly

Virtual paths represent absolute or relative URL addresses that maps to a file or directory on the server.  Any path that does not start with a drive letter or network drive specifier is treated as a virtual path.

Virtual paths are useful for accessing files or directories on your web site. If you plan to have an ISP host your application, it is strongly suggested that you use virtual paths.

When working with Archives it is important to note that path information can be stored in the Archive along with the actual file. These paths are based on the physical path of the underlying operating system that added the files to the archive. Therefore, the path information included for files added by File Transfer CS will always represent Windows system paths relative to the source path passed to the Archive.Add method.