Sharing files over a network can make your work easier and faster. For example, if you’re working on CAD or gcode files on a computer outside of your workshop, you might need to quickly transfer them to your gControl for use in your projects. Instead of using USB drives, you can set up your computers to share files over the network, saving time and making things simpler.
This guide will show you how to set up file and folder sharing between your gControl and other computers on your network, making it easier to transfer files quickly.
How to share folders and files on your gControl over a network
Step 1: Share the folder on the gControl computer
Open File Explorer and go to Documents (or another location where you’d like to share a folder).
If you don’t have a folder yet, create one by right-clicking inside Documents > New > Folder, and give it a name.
Right-click the folder you want to share and select Properties.
In the Properties window, go to the Sharing tab and click on the Share… button.
In the pop-up window, you can select users from the drop-down menu or click on Add to add a specific user. You can choose Everyone.
After selecting Everyone (or a specific user), set the permission level.
Read: Users can only view the folder’s contents.
Read/Write: Users can both view and modify the folder’s contents.
Choose the permission level according to your preference and click Share.
Windows will then display a confirmation with a network path that can be used to access the shared folder. Click Done and then Close the Properties window.
Note the Folder Network Path: \\GCONTROL\Users\Sienci\Documents\Shared-files
Step 2: Access the shared folder from another computer on the same network
On the other computer connected to the same network, open File Explorer.
In the address bar, type the network path provided when sharing the folder. It will look like this:
Press Enter, and File Explorer will attempt to connect to the shared folder.
Once connected, the shared folder should appear, and you can access the files within.
As shown here. I’m copying a file (Artboard1-100.jpg) from my computer (second computer) to the ‘Shared-files’ folder on my gControl computer as if it were a local folder.
Same here with the Train – Engine.nc file.
When I copy or create a file in the ‘Shared-files’ folder, it will appear on my computer, and the inverse happens as well.
The image above shows the ‘Shared-files’ folder on the gControl with the files pasted/created from the second computer.
Now, we can use the shared folder to transfer files over the machines without needing a USB stick or other software (since the computers are in the same network) and open the files through gSender as well.
Step 3: Create a shortcut to a network location.
Open File Explorer, go to This PC, and click on the three dots (…) to find more options.
From the dropdown menu, select “Add a network location”. This will open the “Add Network Location” wizard.
Click Next.
Choose this option to create a custom network location.
Write the network address: \\GCONTROL\Users\Sienci\Documents\Shared-files and click Next.
Name it as you want. I kept the same folder name.
Network location created.
Now you have a shortcut on your second computer that goes directly to the ‘Shared-files’ folder on gControl.
