Share Manager

Description

Easily manage and map network shares using this PowerShell script with support for both CLI and GUI interfaces. Share Manager is designed for end users who frequently access shared folders on a NAS or file server, providing a simple interface with persistent settings.

Features

• Multi-share support - Manage multiple network shares with different credentials (v2.0.0+)
• Configure and store NAS/share settings including hostname, path, drive letter, and credentials per share
• Toggle between CLI and GUI mode with persistent startup preference
• Securely save credentials using Windows DPAPI encryption - tied to your user account
• Credential backup/restore (v2.1.0+) - Export and import encrypted credentials with Merge or Replace modes
• Map or unmap shares individually or all at once with batch operations (including enable/disable)
• Enhanced connection retry (v2.1.0+) - Exponential backoff and intelligent error classification for reliable mapping
• Test connectivity before attempting to map shares
• Review and modify preferences at any time via Settings menu (including drive label sync)
• Structured logging (v2.1.0+) - Dual-output logs (human-readable text + machine-readable JSONL) with automatic rotation
• Log analysis tools (v2.1.0+) - Query and filter events by category, level, time range, or session ID
• Share filtering/search (v2.1.1+) - Instantly filter shares by name, path, or drive letter in CLI
• First-time setup wizard for guided configuration (CLI and GUI)
• Batch enable/disable (v2.1.1+) - Enable or disable multiple shares at once via interactive selection or all at once
• No administrator permissions required
• Persistent mapping - Automatic reconnection at Windows logon
• Real-time status indicators showing connection state for all shares
• Import/Export configuration for backup and portability (credentials handled separately)
• Duplicate-safe imports with Merge or Replace modes and built-in duplicate detection
• Keyboard shortcuts in GUI (Ctrl+A to select all, Enter to navigate/submit)
• Automatic credential prompts when referencing a non-existent username
• Reconnect All operation for quick bulk remapping

Prerequisites

• Windows OS with PowerShell 5.1 or higher.
• A reachable NAS or network share location.
• Script execution policy must allow running scripts:

  Set-ExecutionPolicy -Scope CurrentUser -ExecutionPolicy Bypass

Usage

Method 1: Download and Run the Script Locally

1. Download the Script

   • Visit the releases tab on the GitHub repository.
   • Download the latest version of the Share_Manager.ps1 file.

2. Run the Script

   • Locate the downloaded file on your computer.
   • Right-click the file and select Run with PowerShell.

3. Follow the Prompts

   • The script will provide a menu to guide you through mapping your share, saving preferences, or switching modes.

Method 2: Create a Desktop Shortcut

1. Create a Shortcut

   • Right-click on your Desktop > New > Shortcut.
   • Enter the following as the location:

     C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -STA -File "C:\YourFolder\Share_Manager.ps1"
     

     (be sure to replace YourFolder with your path)

2. Customize the Shortcut (Optional)

   • Name it something like Share Manager.
   • Set a custom icon if desired.

3. Run the Shortcut

   • Double-click the shortcut to launch the script in your preferred mode (CLI or GUI).

Security & Privacy

• DPAPI Encryption: Credentials are encrypted using Windows Data Protection API (DPAPI), which ties encryption to your user account and machine. Only you can decrypt them.
• Automatic Migration: Legacy AES-encrypted credentials (if you're upgrading from an older version) are automatically migrated to DPAPI on first use. Config files from older versions are automatically upgraded in-memory to add new properties (e.g., Enabled, SyncShareNameToDriveLabel) on every load.
• GDPR Compliant:
  • INFO logs (default): No personal data - share names only for operational purposes
  • DEBUG logs (opt-in): Includes usernames for troubleshooting when enabled via $MANUAL_LOG_LEVEL = 'DEBUG' (line 56 in script)
  • See GDPR-COMPLIANCE.md for full details on data handling and your rights
• Local Storage Only: All data (config, credentials, logs) is stored locally under %APPDATA%\Share_Manager. Nothing is transmitted to third parties.
• Log Rotation: Automatic cleanup after 30 days or 5MB to prevent indefinite data retention

What's New in v2.0.0

Performance & Optimization (v2.1.0+)

• Config caching system: Reduces disk I/O by 80-95% with intelligent 5-second cache
  • Automatic cache expiration and refresh
  • Force reload when updating data
  • Cache cleared after every save operation
• Preference helpers: Consolidated preference retrieval logic for cleaner code
• Null-safe logging: All log messages properly handle missing data

Multi-Share Architecture

• Manage unlimited network shares from one interface
• Each share can use different credentials
• Batch operations: Connect All, Disconnect All, Reconnect All
• Individual and bulk share management

Enhanced Security

• DPAPI Encryption: Credentials encrypted using Windows Data Protection API
• Automatic Migration: Legacy AES credentials auto-upgraded on first use
• Per-user Protection: Only you (on this machine) can decrypt your credentials
• No Key Files: Windows manages encryption keys internally

Improved Interface

• CLI: Compact menu with smart status graying, inline prompts, minimal "press enter" interruptions

• GUI: Modern ListView with context menus, double-click actions, real-time status bar

• First-Time Setup: Welcome wizard guides new users through configuration

• Silent Mode: Batch operations run without popup interruptions

  Additional recent UX improvements:

  • Keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+A selects all in textboxes; Enter moves to next field or activates default action
  • Preferences dialog supports Enter via AcceptButton behavior
  • Add/Edit Share dialogs include descriptive hints/examples for each field
  • Reduced redundant confirmations during backup/restore and credential saves

Data Management

• Import/Export: Backup and restore share configurations

• Automatic Cleanup: Legacy files (config.json, cred.txt) backed up and removed after migration

• Log Rotation: Automatic archival of old log files

  Enhanced import behavior:

  • Import & Replace: Fully replaces existing configuration
  • Import & Merge: Merges with existing configuration using duplicate detection
  • Duplicate detection rules: A share is considered a duplicate if either the DriveLetter OR the SharePath matches an existing entry
  • Credentials are not included in exports; you'll be prompted to add any missing credentials when needed

Credential Workflow

• Credentials are stored per-username and securely encrypted with DPAPI
• If a username is referenced that doesn't exist yet, the app will prompt you to create it (CLI and GUI)
• Variable interpolation is safe in prompts (no accidental scope parsing)

Duplicate Prevention

• When importing or merging configurations, duplicates are detected by either:
  • Matching DriveLetter (e.g., X:), or
  • Matching SharePath (e.g., \server\share)
• Duplicates are skipped during Merge to keep your configuration clean

Keyboard Shortcuts (GUI)

• Ctrl+A: Select all text in the current textbox
• Enter: Move to the next input field; when on buttons, Enter activates the default action
• In Add/Edit/Preferences dialogs: Enter will trigger the primary action (e.g., Save/OK)

Advanced Features (v2.1.0+)

Structured Logging & Analysis

• Dual-output logs: Human-readable text (.log) and machine-readable JSONL (.events.jsonl)
• Log levels: DEBUG, INFO, WARN, ERROR (filter via SM_LOG_LEVEL environment variable)
• Categories: Config, Credentials, BackupRestore, Migration, Mapping, Log, Startup, AutoMap
• Drive label sync: When enabled (default), mapped drives in Explorer are labeled with the share name (user-scope, safe, v2.1.1+)
• Batch enable/disable: Enable or disable multiple shares at once via interactive selection or all at once (CLI, v2.1.1+)
• Share filtering/search: Instantly filter shares by name, path, or drive letter in CLI (v2.1.1+)
• Session tracking: Each run gets a unique session ID for correlation
• Automatic rotation: Logs rotate at 30 days or 5MB size
• Query events:
  • CLI: Press L → Query Events for interactive filtering
  • PowerShell: Get-LogEvents -Category Mapping -Level ERROR -Last 10
• GDPR-compliant: No usernames logged, only session IDs and technical diagnostics

Credential Backup & Restore

• Export: Create timestamped backups of encrypted credentials
  • CLI: Press K → Export Credentials
  • GUI: Click Credentials button → Export Credentials (Backup)
• Import: Restore from backup with Merge or Replace modes
  • CLI: Press K → Import Credentials → Choose mode
  • GUI: Click Credentials button → Import Credentials (Restore)
• Security: Backups remain DPAPI-encrypted (machine/user-specific)

Enhanced Connection Retry

• Exponential backoff: 3 attempts with 2s, 4s delays (smarter than fixed delays)
• Error classification: Authentication, PathNotFound, InvalidPath, MultipleConnections, DriveInUse, NetworkTimeout
• Actionable messages: Error messages guide you to specific fixes
• Applies everywhere: Main script and AutoMap startup script use same logic

Validation and Testing

This repository includes a comprehensive validation script to ensure the project remains production-ready.

Run all checks locally:

pwsh -NoProfile -File .\Debug\test_syntax.ps1

What it checks:

• PowerShell legacy parser (syntax)
• AST parser (structure)
• Function analysis (approved verbs, 73 functions)
• PSScriptAnalyzer (uses Debug/PSScriptAnalyzerSettings.psd1 if present)
• Security check (hardcoded secrets)
• Documentation coverage (34.2% of functions documented)
• File encoding (UTF-8 without BOM or ASCII) and size
• Unicode character check (pure ASCII compliance)
• Function call existence (all called functions are defined)

If PSScriptAnalyzer isn't installed, the script will skip that step and show how to install it.

Factory Reset

To completely reset Share Manager and remove all stored data (configuration, credentials, logs):

# One-liner to remove all data except the script itself
Remove-Item -Path "$env:APPDATA\Share_Manager" -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue; Remove-Item -Path "$env:APPDATA\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\Share_Manager_AutoMap.*" -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Warning: This will permanently delete:

• All share configurations (shares.json)
• All saved credentials (creds.json)
• All log files (.log and .events.jsonl)
• Logon script files (if persistent mapping was enabled)
• Backup files (.v1.backup, etc.)

The script file (Share_Manager.ps1) itself will remain intact. On next run, you'll go through first-time setup again.

Migration Notes

v2.1.1:

• Config files from older versions (2.0.0, 2.1.0) are automatically upgraded in-memory to add new properties (e.g., Enabled, SyncShareNameToDriveLabel) on every load. No manual migration needed.

v2.0.0:

• Legacy AES-encrypted credentials (cred.txt/key.bin) are migrated to DPAPI (creds.json) on first run.
• Configuration moves from config.json (single-share) to shares.json (multi-share).
• Exports never include credentials. You will be prompted to add missing credentials when they are referenced.
• If you had scripts relying on legacy function names or single-share assumptions, update them to use the new multi-share behavior.

Development Notes

• PowerShell 5.1+ on Windows is required (GUI uses Windows Forms)
• Linting uses PSScriptAnalyzer with a custom settings file at Debug/PSScriptAnalyzerSettings.psd1
• See CONTRIBUTING.md for developer setup, coding style, and PR guidelines

Storage Locations

• Configuration: %APPDATA%\Share_Manager\shares.json (multi-share)
• Credentials: %APPDATA%\Share_Manager\creds.json (DPAPI-encrypted, multi-user)
• Logs:
  • %APPDATA%\Share_Manager\Share_Manager.log (human-readable text, auto-rotation)
  • %APPDATA%\Share_Manager\Share_Manager.events.jsonl (structured events for analysis)
  • %APPDATA%\Share_Manager\LogonScript.log (AutoMap startup script log)
  • %APPDATA%\Share_Manager\LogonScript.events.jsonl (AutoMap structured events)
• Logon Script: %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\Share_Manager_AutoMap.ps1 (if persistent mapping enabled)
• Credential Backups: %APPDATA%\Share_Manager\creds_backup_YYYY-MM-DD_HHmmss.json (when exported)
• Legacy Files: config.json and cred.txt (auto-migrated to v2 format with backups)

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.

Author

Developed by Dantdmnl.