Communication between Debian in VM and its host Windows?

[NeoPjcpp]

Since I'm new to Linux, I'm using VMware running Debian. I'm still in the migration process. When I can do most of jobs with it that Windows can do I'll switch to it and drop Windows (to use it in VMware at most) I think I should do more and more jobs in Debian so I'll get used to it. Here's one: How can I get a copy of those pdf files stored in Windows so I can read them in Linux?

[coopstah13]

assuming you have networking enabled on your guest OS, you could just make a share on the windows host and then connect to it on the guest OS using samba

[NeoPjcpp]

Forgive my ignorance but how do I get the shared folder with Samba?

[glaston]

1st, in windows, you right click the folder you want to share and go to 'properties'.
There will be a 'sharing' tab, click on it.
Check the box to share the folder.
Give a unique name to the share, and it's good to give a comment to help identify it.
Assign permissions if you have other users on your machine or network, or just give everyone access(possibly unsafe depending on your situation).

When you installed Debian did you enable the samba service to run at boot?
If so, then all you really need to do is browse the network.

If samba isn't active but installed, then go to the 'desktop' menu on the Gnome panel at the top of the screen and go >administration>services, then scroll down and highlight samba and click OK.

If samba is NOT installed, see the thread on this forum called "How to setup LAN".
There's detailed instructions there.

Once activated, open the network browser from the desktop, find your PC, double click it, authenticate, and then you should see a list of shares for that particular machine.

Then you can either open the file in place, or copy it to your filesystem to edit/view locally.

[NeoPjcpp]

Thanks for the very detailed instruction!

Following it, however, I get this message:

Sorry, could display all the contents of "Windows Network: mshome".

[stokes]

Not wishing to add confusion to the thread, but there is an easier way than installing Samba on your Debian box. Download WinSCP and use it to connect to your Debian VM, and just copy the files across using the application.

WinSCP :: Free SFTP and FTP client for Windows

[Thrillhouse]

Why not use the shared folder functionality that is built into VMWare? You don't have to bother with samba or anything like that. I haven't used VMWare in a while but if memory serves, the shared folder appears on the Linux guest under /mnt/hgfs. Look here.

Also, VMWare supports drag and drop from the host to guest and vice versa. It's not useful for a large amount of files but for one or two here and there it's very convenient.

[NeoPjcpp]

I'll use VM tools, ftp, or Samba. I wondered how just dragging and dropping can work. However, right now I have no intention to study another Windows utility...

Thanks again for who replied. They all have helped. I really appreciate that.

[glaston]

Do you have windows firewall running?
That can get in the way of Samba.

Make sure the 2 machines have the same workgroup name.
MSHOME is the default, but it sucks so you should change it.

[NeoPjcpp]

Make sure the 2 machines have the same workgroup name.

I see. Workgroup, workstation... They have always been giving me a headache. Dang, not anymore, I'll study them.