[jcifs] Issue listing "smb://"

[Christopher R. Hertel]

On Thu, Jul 15, 2004 at 05:13:33AM -0400, Eric Glass wrote:
:
> So, to summarize, the "most ideal" process would be:
> 
> 
> 1) If jcifs.smb.client.domain is specified, query domain<1D> to get
> the LMB for that workgroup.
> 
> 2) If no results from above (or if jcifs.smb.client.domain is not
> specified), try __MSBROWSE__ to get a LMB for any workgroup.
> 
> 3) If no results from above, and if jcifs.smb.client.domain is
> specifed, query domain<1B> for the DMB.
> 
> 4) If no results from above, as a last ditch attempt query *<1B> for
> all known DMBs (only works with Samba).
> 
> 
> Correct?

Yes.

If the client is in "B" mode, then you'd leave out any queries to the NBNS 
(WINS server), so you'd skip steps 3 and 4.

If the client is in "P" mode you would skip steps 1 and 2.

Some quick notes about using the Browse Service:

- It was designed in the days when a '386 was standard and the '486 was a
  new thing and people with money were running 4Mbps Token Ring.  In
  today's terms, it's a very, *very* lightweight system.  Chatty, but 
  lightweight.

- It's flakier than freeze-dried baklava in a desert wind.

Typically, if you really want to use the Browse Service, you play a few 
games.  For instance:

- If given "smb://" you could send both the domain<1D> and __MSBROWSE__ 
  queries in parallel, and then query two or three of the respondents and 
  build a combined list.

- If given "smb://workgroup/", try both the workgroup<1D> broadcast and 
  workgroup<1B> unicast queries in parallel, and query both for their 
  browse lists and combine the lists.  This saves a lot of time if there's 
  no LMB for the given workgroup on your local LAN.

There are a lot of tricks you can play with the browse service.  It's 
built that way.

Chris -)-----

-- 
"Implementing CIFS - the Common Internet FileSystem" ISBN: 013047116X
Samba Team -- http://www.samba.org/     -)-----   Christopher R. Hertel
jCIFS Team -- http://jcifs.samba.org/   -)-----   ubiqx development, uninq.
ubiqx Team -- http://www.ubiqx.org/     -)-----   crh at ubiqx.mn.org
OnLineBook -- http://ubiqx.org/cifs/    -)-----   crh at ubiqx.org