If a network driver does not support the new function calls (for example, it is a Windows 3.0 network driver), Windows and File Manager simulate a new method of supporting permanent connections.
The default connection dialog box includes a check box for making a connection permanent. If the user makes a permanent connection, the device will be added to a WIN.INI section called [Network]. The tag will be the local device and the value will be the network resource. For security, passwords will not be saved. The following example illustrates the new section:
[Network]
S:=\\USER2\SHELL
T:=\\TOOLSVR\DOSENV
U:=\\PYREX\USER
LPT1=\\WINDEV\PRINTER
When a device is disconnected, it is removed from the list of permanent devices. File Manager simulates the WNetGetConnection behavior of returning a connection with a special status when it is listed in WIN.INI but is not connected. The default connection dialog boxes allow the user to “reconnect” a disconnected device which has a saved connection. The dialog boxes also support disconnecting and reconnecting a device in an error state.
When starting, Windows enumerates devices saved in the [Network] section and attempts to redirect them using the WNetAddConnection function. If a device is already redirected, the redirection will not be overridden. If WNetAddConnection returns WN_BAD_PASSWORD, the user will be prompted to supply the password.
Network drivers which require their own connection dialog boxes or startup and restore functions should attempt to duplicate the functionality of the default behavior as closely as possible in order to provide consistency. To maintain this consistency, network drivers should use the [Network] section. The tags “A:” through “Z:” and all common MS-DOS device names (“LPT1”, “COM1”, “PRN”, and so on) are reserved, including those not currently supported for redirection. The network driver may define additional tags of its own.