The folder you entered does not appear to be valid. Please choose another

Using Apex with Embedded PL/SQL Gateway, accessing files and folders on WEB server is possible only through WebDAV folders. Whenever I try to setup a web folder by "adding a network location" or "map a network drive" through My Computer, on mine previous PC with Windows XP it works like hell ... not to mention that Total Commander's WebDAV Quick Connection interface is also very handy and used before really often. But lately, when change OS, I’m given an error saying that either:

• The folder you entered does not appear to be valid. Please choose another
• Windows cannot access… Check the spelling of the name. Otherwise, there might be..

These errors appear whether I’m using SSL or non-SSL. I personally have Windows 2008 R2 SP1 64-bit on mine laptop but the same problem exists on Windows 7 as well on x86 or x64 versions when using web folders functionality.

WebDAV problem might be described in two general ways:

1. Connection to a web folder or web disk cannot be established.
   Whenever you try to setup a web folder or web disk (whether it is through "add a network location", "map a network drive", through the "net use" command, or any other method), it fails (picture above).
2. You can establish or setup a web folder but can only view contents.
   Here, you can setup a web folder but you can only browse the root folder. When you try to open a folder or transfer a file to it, you won’t be able to. This is exactly what happened to me when tried to open WebDAV folder through mentioned Total Commander's WebDAV Quick connection

If you try to put MS Windows 7 fix, intentionally do not place link because it is in many cases not useful, but if you like to try MS approach, search on WEB for "Webfldrs-KB907306-ENU.exe" file, it doesn't help in Apex case. The reason is that Apex's WebDAV type-not IIS one and, beside all mentioned, totally inappropriate in any Windows 2008 R2 configuration (like in mine case).

The Solution

The free solution come from BitKinex through their WebDAV client.

Regardless this is in fact 32 bit application, it runs on 64 bit as well and, of course, on Windows 2008 R2 x64 servers, what is in mine case very important.

Very intuitive interface as well as pretty strong stability (on some unstable connections it freezes sometimes) gave me power tool for general usage-what i like most. One tool for all operating systems.

The End

This beautiful part of software is really a required tools for any WEB developer, that will soon or later use WebDAV folders in it's development. So this topic was to reduce searching WEB on finding solution.
Hope this helps someone.

Cheers!

After all, new approach ..

According Peer James this is permanent fix of broken Windows registry.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ftp]
@="URL:File Transfer Protocol"=""
"AppUserModelID"="Microsoft.InternetExplorer.Default"
"EditFlags"=dword:00000002
"FriendlyTypeName"="@C:\\Windows\\system32\\ieframe.dll,-905"
"ShellFolder"="{63da6ec0-2e98-11cf-8d82-444553540000}"
"Source Filter"="{E436EBB6-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}"
"URL Protocol"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ftp\DefaultIcon]
@=hex(2):25,00,53,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,52,00,6f,00,6f,00,74,00,25,\
  00,5c,00,73,00,79,00,73,00,74,00,65,00,6d,00,33,00,32,00,5c,00,75,00,72,00,\
  6c,00,2e,00,64,00,6c,00,6c,00,2c,00,30,00,00,00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ftp\shell]
@="open"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ftp\shell\open]

Haven't tested, but author claims it works ... I believe him. Thank you Peter again. :-)