This is a client for the VDU (Validated Data storage Unit) server. It allows users to store and retrieve documents from the server and creates a virtual disk containing a virtual file system where the documents are stored and handled automatically. It provides various features for version control, file sharing, and document management and customisation. All retrieved files are seamlessly available to the user inside the new virtual disk, and changes to them are transmitted to the server automatically without the need for manual intervention.

Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable 2015-2022

WinFSP 1.8 or newer

Windows 7 SP1 or newer (Supports Windows 11)

1.) Download and install latest WinFSP (https://www.secfs.net/winfsp/rel/) and the latest Visual C++ 2015-2022 Redistributable libraries (https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x64.exe or https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x86.exe)

1a.) For Windows 7 SP1 it might be required download and install https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=46148

2.) Run a Release version of VDUClient.exe of the architecture of your machine (Win32 or x64)

Requires Visual Studio 2022, Windows 10 SDK, Build tools v143, MFC+ATL for build tools v143

1.) Install WinFsp with the Developer Option selected during installation

2.) Download VDUClient repository, launch .sln file

3.) Compile as Release, pick your architecture (Win32 or x64)

4.) Run VDUClient.exe

NOTE: If the include file winfsp.hpp wont be pre-installed in some cases, you need to manually download it from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/winfsp/winfsp/master/inc/winfsp/winfsp.hpp and copy into your WinFsp\inc\winfsp installation folder!

• -silent Program window starts up hidden and minimized to tray
• -testmode Program starts in test mode, where it reads actions and executes them. For more information see contents of 'test.py'
• -insecure Disables certificate validation - for debug/test purposes

The application registers a new URI protocol in the format of vdu:https://{token}, which can be used to trigger the running application to access a file recognizable by token.

Example: vdu:https://abcdef1234

1.) Set server address with optional port

2.) Set username, and optionally set user certificate

3.) Login; ensure the login was successful

4.) Input the file token of the requested file or use hyperlinks to access files

5.) Modify the file using the VDU Virtual Disk

6.) When done with work on the file, delete it from the VDU Virtual Disk

Python 3.6.3 or newer

1.) Run vdusrv.py - Runs on all interfaces on port 4443 by default

2.) To access the simulated server, run VDUClient.exe with -insecure launch option, to disable certificate verification

Edit server settings at the top of the script if required.

Users: [email protected], john

File tokens: a,b,c,d,e,f

To test VDU protocol, use test_links.html webpage

Python 3.6.3 or newer

1.) Make sure to not have any instance of VDU Client or VDU server running, before running the test.

2.) Run test.py in the root directory

Test is set up to be ran from that directory. To change path to client executable and server script, you can edit the top of the file. To add new tests or edit the settings of the testing suite, modify the file

In order to add custom tests, get familiar with the Action list, create your test and then simply add it to the list of the tests

• -server [ip] Set server ip to 'ip'
• -user [login] Log in as 'login'
• -accessfile [token] Accesses a file
• -accessnetfile [urlToken] Accesses a file in the URL format
• -deletefile [token] Invalidates token
• -rename [token] [name] Renames file to 'name'
• -logout Logs out current user
• -write [token] [text] Writes text at the beginning of a file
• -read [token] [cmpText] Reads text of the length of 'cmpText' from the beginning of a file and compares them

All of the mentioned actions can be issued to a running instance of the VDU Client. This is true even when outside of testing mode.

Client developed using Microsoft Visual Studio 2022 Community with valid Free Licence, using MFC/ATL Build tools v143 and Windows 10.0 SDK, at https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/cs/vs/community/

Server developed using Microsoft Visual Studio Code, with Python 3.9.4 environment, at https://code.visualstudio.com/

WinFsp - Windows File System Proxy, Copyright (C) Bill Zissimopoulos. GitHub page at https://github.com/winfsp/winfsp, Website at https://winfsp.dev/,

WinFsp Virtual File System usage based on passthrough-cpp by billziss-gh at https://github.com/winfsp/winfsp/tree/master/tst/passthrough-cpp

Cloud Storage icon by Icons8

Function descriptions and help in various areas of Desktop Development using C++, Windows API and MFC/ATL API at https://docs.microsoft.com/

This project is licensed under the GPLv3 licence, as it includes a modification of work of:

WinFsp - Windows File System Proxy, Copyright (C) Bill Zissimopoulos.

GitHub page at https://github.com/winfsp/winfsp, Website at https://winfsp.dev/, with the knowledge of the original author.

@Copyright (C) 2015-2022 Bill Zissimopoulos