Can't create a symlink with target path behaving like a root directory

[arnobpl]

Can't create a symlink with target path behaving like a root directory

[arnobpl]

What I understand is that:
You want the files in /documents/assets/3d models/ directory to be symlinked inside /documents/projects/game/assets/models/ directory. For example, you have these files:

• /documents/assets/3d models/my_model1.fbx
• /documents/assets/3d models/my_model2.fbx
• /documents/assets/3d models/my_model3.fbx

You want them to be symlinked so that you can access these files by these paths respectively:

• /documents/projects/game/assets/models/my_model1.fbx
• /documents/projects/game/assets/models/my_model2.fbx
• /documents/projects/game/assets/models/my_model3.fbx
  Please let me know if that is not what you wanted.

If the above-mentioned is what you want, you can do that using the existing version. What you need to do is:

• Drag-n-drop all the files/folders (can use "Ctrl + A" shortcut) from File Explorer to SymlinkCreator's Source file or folder list.
• Use /documents/projects/game/assets/models/ as your Destination path.
• Click Create symlinks button.
  You are done.

Happy symlinking! :)

[Ryder17z]

Yeah, but that requires constant manual updating so it's far from ideal.

…

On Wed, 24 May 2023, 03:07 Arnob Paul, ***@***.***> wrote: Closed #6 <#6> as completed. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#6 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAPIOP6AJ3X5IVITG6UHRNLXHVNNZANCNFSM6AAAAAAWT7GHAA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[arnobpl]

I understand what you saying. When you create/delete/rename files in the source directory, the symlinked files will not be synced in the destination directory. But this is how symlink works internally at the file-system level. Every file need to be symlinked. If you want files in two directories synced by symlinks, then a background app will be required that will check for changes and make the two directories synced. There is no other alternative to make them synced since symlinks are static.

I believe you can still resolve the issue without using any app that is needed to be run in the background. It depends on the 3D modeling software you are using. If I were you, I might want to look for a way to change the project path in the 3D modeling software with the symlinked directory.

Hope that helps. Feel free if you have any related questions.

[Ryder17z]

I wasn't aware of this limitation which is kind of ridiculous in 2023. I can understand it being a thing in the past (ie winXP), but it doesn't make sense to me in modern times.

…

On Wed, 24 May 2023, 04:08 Arnob Paul, ***@***.***> wrote: I understand what you saying. When you create/delete/rename files in the source directory, the symlinked files will not be updated in the destination directory. But This is how symlink works internally at the file-system level. Every file need to be symlinked. If you want files in two directories synced by symlinks, then a background app will be required that will check for changes and make the two directories synced. There is no other alternative to make them synced since symlinks are static. I believe you can still resolve the issue without using any app that is needed to be run in the background. It depends on the 3D modeling software you are using. If I were you, I might want to look for a way to change the project path in the 3D modeling software with the symlinked directory. Hope that helps. Feel free if you have any related questions. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#6 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAPIOP2MXL3HGHP7XYBSBU3XHVURZANCNFSM6AAAAAAWT7GHAA> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[arnobpl]

The file system has not been changed that much. Windows XP had NTFS file system support. Windows 11 has the same file system. It has not changed that much. We still see limitations like the default file path size cap (which can be updated though) if a file is highly nested in a directory. The improvement has been more focused on the security and reliability of storing files rather than adding more features at the file-system level.

Anyway, there is still another way I think of if your example /documents/projects/game/assets/models/ directory only contains the symlinked files/folders from /documents/assets/3d models/ and no additional files/folders. To do so:

• Drag-n-drop /documents/assets/3d models/ directory to SymlinkCreator's Source file or folder list.
• Use /documents/projects/game/assets/ as your Destination path.
• Click Create symlinks button.
• So you will have a symlinked directory: documents/projects/game/assets/3d models/
• Delete this directory: /documents/projects/game/assets/models/ since you do not have additional files/folders (this is a condition for this solution).
• Rename the symlinked directory from /documents/projects/game/assets/3d models/ to /documents/projects/game/assets/models/
  You are done.

Happy symlinking! :)