Integrating Windows Sharepoint

Hi there,

I have a web based application built using PHP and MySQL, however we also support Apache or MS SQL if required by a client.  One section of our software deals with document control, so if a user needs to upload a document to a particular section of our software they can do so via document control, which manages security of documents and also version control.

However, many of our clients already have a document control system in place and so would prefer to be able to simply browse to a file within their already created structure and link to it.  Many of these clients use Share Point, and so I was looking for some advice as to how we could integrate this into our application.  Currently a user can choose whether they would like to link to a file or upload it.  They then use the norma file input field on a form to find the file, and if 'link' is the selected operation then I use javascript to save that link in a hidden form field and upload it.

However this is where the problem lies.  For example what if a user browses to the following path:

X:\Documents\document.doc

Not a problem if we were simply returning a URL to the browser, but we need to use the server to grab this file, check the user has permissions for it and then return it as a download, but not ever let them know the link to it as obviously it may be sensitive.  So if the server opens the file X:\Documents\document.doc it would be looking locally on the server where the software is installed.

Now obviously a way round this would be to treat the link differently by either specifying the server name or the server's IP address so:

\\ServerName\documents\document.doc

This is where we wondering if Share Point could be integrated to help us with building this link.

Any ideas?  Maximum points available due to very tight schedule.

Tom