Devices as files

NTDEV
1

Hi,

In the Windows world, is there a way to access devices
from user space like the way they do in Unix?
Like /dev/dsk…

Is the global namespace accessible to applications
using just the win32 api?

Thanks,
Manoj

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2

Surely, but this namespace is not part of the filesystem, so you cannot do
DIR on it. It is the in memory namespace, which can be browsed using
undocumented syscalls.

Maxim Shatskih, Windows DDK MVP
StorageCraft Corporation
xxxxx@storagecraft.com
http://www.storagecraft.com

----- Original Message -----
From: “Manoj Paul Joseph”
To: “Windows System Software Devs Interest List”
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 5:47 PM
Subject: [ntdev] Devices as files

> Hi,
>
> In the Windows world, is there a way to access devices
> from user space like the way they do in Unix?
> Like /dev/dsk…
>
> Is the global namespace accessible to applications
> using just the win32 api?
>
> Thanks,
> Manoj
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page.
> www.yahoo.com
>
>
>
> —
> Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256
>
> You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@storagecraft.com
> To unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com

3

Sure you can with the right pemissions, for instance “\\.\PHYSICALDRIVE0”
acesses the first disk in the system at a sector level. Devices are also
access through paths.

–
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting
Remove StopSpam from the email to reply

“Manoj Paul Joseph” wrote in message
news:xxxxx@ntdev…
> Hi,
>
> In the Windows world, is there a way to access devices
> from user space like the way they do in Unix?
> Like /dev/dsk…
>
> Is the global namespace accessible to applications
> using just the win32 api?
>
> Thanks,
> Manoj
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page.
> www.yahoo.com
>
>
>

4

Actually, and although it remains inconsistent in implementation, the
correct way to enumerate devices is through their device interface guids and
the PnP api for enumerating them (the ugly and poorly named SetupDi
routines.) The non-guid based mechanisms are deprecated, although in many
cases I suspect they will never go away.

=====================
Mark Roddy

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Burn [mailto:xxxxx@acm.org]
Sent: Thursday, November 04, 2004 10:03 AM
To: Windows System Software Devs Interest List
Subject: Re:[ntdev] Devices as files

Sure you can with the right pemissions, for instance “\\.\PHYSICALDRIVE0”
acesses the first disk in the system at a sector level. Devices are also
access through paths.

–
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting Remove StopSpam from the
email to reply

“Manoj Paul Joseph” wrote in message
news:xxxxx@ntdev…
> Hi,
>
> In the Windows world, is there a way to access devices from user space
> like the way they do in Unix?
> Like /dev/dsk…
>
> Is the global namespace accessible to applications using just the
> win32 api?
>
> Thanks,
> Manoj
>
>
>
> __________________________________
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Check out the new Yahoo! Front Page.
> www.yahoo.com
>
>
>

—
Questions? First check the Kernel Driver FAQ at
http://www.osronline.com/article.cfm?id=256

You are currently subscribed to ntdev as: xxxxx@stratus.com To
unsubscribe send a blank email to xxxxx@lists.osr.com