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I'm wondering if it is possible to put symbolic "links" to external data files inside the C:\\ , so that when a Wine-app asks for "File Open" (or somesuch) it can be pointed to the "link".  I really need to keep all my data files uniquely on a central server, I cannot contemplate making off-shoot copies of them in a Wine bottle.
Anyone have any thoughts about this?
Thanks,
--Grahame

That's what Wine does already.

petch: Thanks v. much for the prompt reply, though I fear it leaves me pretty much in the dark still. I have taken a short look at the "Gog" phenomenon and read a bit about DOSbox in Linux, but I just don't know enough to understand how that relates to my ambition.
When I run an app. in POL/Wine which wants the user to select a file it only seems to offer access to files + folders in C:\\ , not also to the other smb drives which are known to the host Linux. Perhaps this is a problem for Wine to address? I was hoping that there may be some way for me to tell the Wine bottle that there is readable life out there too.
--G

MIght one achieve something using WineTricks to assign a Linux path to Wine Z:\\ ?
As you see, I know very little and scratch my head a lot.
--G

By default Wine creates prefixes with symlinks from users private directories ("Desktop", "My documents", etc.) to what it thinks are the closest equivalent in user's home directory (so if it finds a ~/My Documents/ it points there, something like that. I don't remember where the code that does this is locate to check exactly).
There's also by default a Z: drive mapped to the root directory (/).
I don't think network shares mounted by the host system are anything special to it (not sure about that, never tried this combinaison) so you'll either have to add symlinks pointing to the network mount points (~/.gvfs/ if you're using Gnome?), or navigate Z:

Edited by petch

WineTricks to assign a Linux path to Wine Z:\\ ?

Also, dont mix WineTricks with POL installations. It will cause issues. Most of the winetricks functionality and features can be found in the "Configure" window in PlayOnLinux. :)