Understanding Virtual Directory on Windows
A virtual directory maps a URL that users enter on the Web browser to a specific directory on the server.
The virtual directory is basically configured in the following combination:
The virtual directory settings are configured on Web servers.
Item | Description |
---|---|
Directory | The directory contains files to be published on the web. |
Alias name | This is the name specified in the URL when users access from a Web browser. |
Access permissions to the directory | This is what Web servers can perform for that directory. |
The following items are set by default in the Web server (IIS) of Windows.
- Directory: C:\InetPub\scripts
- Alias Name: /scripts
- Access permissions: Execute without Read
In this setting, when you access http://(server hostname)/scripts/test.exe from your web browser, the server will execute the test.exe file located in the C:\InetPub\scripts directory, which has executable access permissions and the "/scripts" refers to.
If access permissions for "/scripts" are "Executable", all the directories under it also have executable access permissions.
This means that both "/scripts/sales/test1.exe" and "/scripts/system/test2.exe" are executable.
When the Cybozu product is installed in the default C:\InetPub\scripts, you can run the product without configuring the virtual directory.
If you installed the product to a location other than C: \InetPub\scripts, you must set a new virtual directory.