title: ASP MVC3 - Link to files on shared folder
body: <p>On one of the pages in my ASP MVC3 site, I need to include a link to a file or files that are on a shared drive we use in the office. I keep the address of the file in the database, and am trying to render that into link in our view. </p>
  
  <p>Using an <code>@Html.ActionLink</code>, which I'm pretty sure is the wrong control to use, I get the following error:</p>
  
  <pre><code>[HttpException (0x80004005): A potentially dangerous Request.Path value was detected from the client (&amp;).]
     System.Web.HttpRequest.ValidateInputIfRequiredByConfig() +9021001
     System.Web.PipelineStepManager.ValidateHelper(HttpContext context) +59
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>However, using and of the other <code>@Html</code> link controls has not worked. </p>
  
  <p>One of the problems is that we do not want to create multiple copies of the files via allowing downloads. We simply want to link to this file, at it's specified location, and allow users to work on that copy. Windows has a feature which allows you to click on a filepath if sent in an email or on a word doc which will open the file. This is the type of functionality we are going for. </p>
  
  <p>Here is the sample address which is currently causing the problem: </p>
  
  <pre><code>\\Prdhilfs02\l&amp;i-systems\WORKAREA\AgencySystems\SHARED\DSSProj\PRDSUP\Defects\TD14734 Agent Welcome Letters\Welcome Letters v1.2.doc
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>When this is rendered into HTML it looks like this: </p>
  
  <pre><code>/%5C%5CPrdhilfs02%5Cl%26i-systems%5CWORKAREA%5CAgencySystems%5CSHARED%5CDSSProj%5CPRDSUP%5CDefects%5CTD14734%20Agent%20Welcome%20Letters%5CWelcome%20Letters%20v1.2.doc
  </code></pre>