CODEWITHSUNDEEP
sharepointcloudexplorer
DJDave
DJDave

Reputation: 915

open Office365 SharePoint-based resource in File explorer

I want to access an Cloud-based file system such as

https://dogsbyacademy-my.sharepoint.com/personal/a_punter_dogsbyacademy_ac_uk/Documents

in File Explorer, ideally from a desktop shortcut. (The example URL is a OneDrive for Business URL - not real - and there are MS Teams-based resources I want to access too e.g.

https://dogsbyacademy.sharepoint.com/sites/ITSupport/Shared%20Documents/General again not real)

Once I have opened the resource in File Explorer from a browser, it will work fine, but that only lasts for as long as the File Explorer window the browser opened lasts.

So here is the scenario:

I open File Explorer, I paste in the URL, and get a "Windows can't find.. URL" message. I do "Open with Explorer" from Classic Sharepoint in IE and it works - I get a File Explorer window showing my OneDrive file system (I'm on a W10 PC which SSO's me into OneDrive in the browser without needing to log in). I then paste the URL into my original File Explorer window and it now works there too!

So what is happening behind the scenes, and is there a way to avoid going via the "Open with Explorer" from Classic Sharepoint in IE route?

Upvotes: 1

Views: 340

Answers (1)

DJDave
DJDave

Reputation: 915

Reply below from MS technical support. It looks like the critical point is the creation of the cookie, which happens at the "Open in Explorer" step.

"..our Sharepoint specialist .. has confirmed that there is no direct way in Sharepoint to access the files without opening the browser first. It can be done with the mapping option, which we understand this is what you are trying but as soon as the cookie expires, it signs you off and you have to map again. I am sending you the script that I mentioned previously to have the persistent cookie so the local mapping of the Sharepoint library remains active. About why does it needs to be Internet Explorer, it’s not exactly a requirement from Sharepoint, but to be able to map the libraries, the system uses a protocol that calls WebClient and the only browser that can read this protocol is Internet Explorer. The rest of the browers can’t do it. "

Upvotes: 1

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