customize nautilus for all users

[whatch]

We are setting up dual boot Windows7/Ubuntu 12.04 computers. Both systems will be joined to the domain via Likewise. In Windows 7 we use group policies to redirect files to a central file server. In Ubuntu is it is a bit more difficult. With Nautilus we have figured out how users can navigate to their folder by going to: go > location > smb://fileserver/share/group/user, and they can then bookmark it, but it is not realistic to have users do this every time they sit at a different computer.

How would I create a custom Nautilus launcher that is locked to the Unity sidebar, that would at least go to smb://fileserver/share?

Or, aside from purchasing something like Centrify, is there a better way to do this then with Nautilus?

Thanks.

[theDaveTheRave]

Whatch,

I would propose the following.

In each users home directory simply place a 'smbolic link' that can point directly to the correct location. You can then add this as a 'location' in favourites of nautilus.

How this should work....

If you have a 'networked folder' that folder will have a 'fully qualified name' such as

Server.name.Ip.Address.nameOfDrive

When your linux box boots up you can mount this location either directly into the directory in the users home drive, or you can set up a special users, and mount it into this location, and have this shared to all other users.

what you need to research.

/dev/disk : is the default location of all devices that are locally available to a machine
mtab and fatab : will tell each system how to locate and mount directories / disks (these are config files located in the /etc/ directory
mount : this is the command to mount a file system (read HDD).

process:

read the mount man pages for further info on using network locations to mount a file system
You may do well by reading the ln man page also, make sure you understand the difference between hard and soft links.
Why?
Simply if the user is using a laptop mostly they may want a copy of thier files available on this laptop, using a hard link will keep a copy of the same file in 2 location simultaneously, if it is deleted on one, it will remain on the other, if other users have a link to the same file, in effect it won't actually be deleted until ALL users have deleted the underlying file. ~ of course you may then have an issue of synchronisation, but it all depends on how you work.

Another idea may be to go for a 'cloud' type solution, I've not personaly used it, but ownCloud.org docs make is sound like it should be quite easy to set up, there is even a package available, more info in this thread on debian, or own the ownCloud forums here.

Then you can just add the owncloud server as a default favourite in the users browsers.

David