path mapping

Path mapping refers to techniques for redirecting file access requests from one location to another, often used in development and enterprise IT environments. In Windows, users may need to address a local drive as if it were a network drive, for example, to test programs that expect network paths like \\server\data. Common approaches include using the `subst` command to associate a path with a drive letter, or more advanced methods like symbolic links or registry modifications. This tag covers discussions about mapping local folders to network-style paths without an actual network, enabling offline development and testing. Topics include drive mapping, path redirection, and workarounds for software that requires UNC paths.