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From: Charlie Russel - MVP on 28 Oct 2007 20:40
Symbolic links. So, using mklink, I create a link to a directory or a file.
I can make a "hard link" - that's been supported on NTFS for ages - or I can
make a symbolic link. So, what does all that mean?

Hard links are easier to understand - For example, I have a single
PowerShell script that automatically fires off an RDP session to the name of
the computer I type in. If I look at the directory where the file is, I see:

PS > dir


Directory: Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::U:\psbin


Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
---- ------------- ------ ----
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 charlie-xp2.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 core.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 dc.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 eng-vmhost-01.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 gw.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 habitat.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 homeserver.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 homesrv.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-core-04.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-dc-02.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-dc-03.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-ts-05.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-xmpl-gw1.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-xmpl-wsus.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350g5-1.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350g5-7.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 lh-vmhost-09.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 ml350g5-7.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 sharon-xp1.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 srv1.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 ts05.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 vista.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 vmhost.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 whs.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 xp.ps1
-a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 xpx64.ps1

That's exactly one file and takes up one file's worth of space on the HD. I
can edit it, and the changes are automatically reflected in every other
"version" of the file, because it's really only one file - just 26 different
directory entries pointing to it. I can delete any one of the 26 versions of
the file, and none of the others are affected. No one file is the "master" -
they are all exactly equal.

Symlinks, however, are a bit different. In theory, a symbolic link to a file
should behave exactly as if it were the file. That is, I should be able to
edit a file called "myfile.txt" located on C:\ when in fact the file is
only a symbolic to a file called "myfile.txt" that actually resides on
C:\Users\Charlie. That's the theory, and it almost works in Vista - as long
as you don't cross drive boundaries. I figure another round or two and
they'll get it right. The whole point to symlinks is that they're supposed
to be able to cross drive and filesystem boundaries. And for directories, by
the way, that works now - as long as you use a directory "junction" rather
than a symlink (same command, but with a /j switch). So, I get a listing
like this:

C:\>dir MyFile.txt
Volume in drive C is Vista-x64
Volume Serial Number is 0854-A72C

Directory of C:\

28/10/2007 05:31 PM <SYMLINK> Myfile.txt
[C:\Users\Charlie\Myfile.txt
1 File(s) 0 bytes
0 Dir(s) 104,245,489,664 bytes free


The idea behind symlinks is to allow a file to reside where you really want
it to, but have it appear to be somewhere else. So they're _usually_ the
same name, just different locations, though that's not a requirement. And
with a symbolic link, the "real" file is the master. The symbolic links can
be deleted without affecting the master, but delete the master and all the
rest become orphaned.


Hope that helps?

--
Charlie.
http://msmvps.com/xperts64
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel


"Carlos" <Carlos(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:D1A242E9-98CC-4CA4-9142-017809D4BFCD(a)microsoft.com...
> What is a "symlink"?
> Carlos
>
> "Charlie Russel - MVP" wrote:
>
>> I'm having a hard time understanding what this is good for? Of course, I
>> hardly ever use shortcuts any more, now that I have real symlinks.
>>
>> --
>> Charlie.
>> http://msmvps.com/xperts64
>> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel
>>
>>
>> "Carlos" <Carlos(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> news:D175EF64-DDE3-4BC6-943C-AEA94A287CFC(a)microsoft.com...
>> > http://www.frameworkx.com/Frameworkx/solution.aspx?id=632
>> > "Windows Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover, aka FxVisor, allows you to
>> > either
>> > way to remove the shortcut overlay arrow or to even customize it in
>> > Windows
>> > Vista"
>> > "Version 2.0:
>> > Former Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover now called Vista Shortcut Manager
>> > has
>> > added many new welcome features like: Custom overlay icons,
>> > Enable/Disable
>> > "-shortcut" extension, full support for x64 platforms, and direct
>> > upgrade
>> > from version 1.3."
>> > Direct download link for the x64 version:
>> > http://www.frameworkx.com/Frameworkx/download.aspx?id=315
>> > Carlos
>> >
>>

From: Carlos on 29 Oct 2007 06:20
It surely does!
Thanks
Carlos

"Charlie Russel - MVP" wrote:

> Symbolic links. So, using mklink, I create a link to a directory or a file.
> I can make a "hard link" - that's been supported on NTFS for ages - or I can
> make a symbolic link. So, what does all that mean?
>
> Hard links are easier to understand - For example, I have a single
> PowerShell script that automatically fires off an RDP session to the name of
> the computer I type in. If I look at the directory where the file is, I see:
>
> PS > dir
>
>
> Directory: Microsoft.PowerShell.Core\FileSystem::U:\psbin
>
>
> Mode LastWriteTime Length Name
> ---- ------------- ------ ----
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 charlie-xp2.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 core.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 dc.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 eng-vmhost-01.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 gw.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 habitat.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 homeserver.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 homesrv.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-core-04.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-dc-02.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-dc-03.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-ts-05.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-xmpl-gw1.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350-xmpl-wsus.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350g5-1.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 hp350g5-7.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 lh-vmhost-09.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 ml350g5-7.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 sharon-xp1.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 srv1.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 ts05.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 vista.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 vmhost.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 whs.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 xp.ps1
> -a--- 28/10/2007 3:42 PM 1278 xpx64.ps1
>
> That's exactly one file and takes up one file's worth of space on the HD. I
> can edit it, and the changes are automatically reflected in every other
> "version" of the file, because it's really only one file - just 26 different
> directory entries pointing to it. I can delete any one of the 26 versions of
> the file, and none of the others are affected. No one file is the "master" -
> they are all exactly equal.
>
> Symlinks, however, are a bit different. In theory, a symbolic link to a file
> should behave exactly as if it were the file. That is, I should be able to
> edit a file called "myfile.txt" located on C:\ when in fact the file is
> only a symbolic to a file called "myfile.txt" that actually resides on
> C:\Users\Charlie. That's the theory, and it almost works in Vista - as long
> as you don't cross drive boundaries. I figure another round or two and
> they'll get it right. The whole point to symlinks is that they're supposed
> to be able to cross drive and filesystem boundaries. And for directories, by
> the way, that works now - as long as you use a directory "junction" rather
> than a symlink (same command, but with a /j switch). So, I get a listing
> like this:
>
> C:\>dir MyFile.txt
> Volume in drive C is Vista-x64
> Volume Serial Number is 0854-A72C
>
> Directory of C:\
>
> 28/10/2007 05:31 PM <SYMLINK> Myfile.txt
> [C:\Users\Charlie\Myfile.txt
> 1 File(s) 0 bytes
> 0 Dir(s) 104,245,489,664 bytes free
>
>
> The idea behind symlinks is to allow a file to reside where you really want
> it to, but have it appear to be somewhere else. So they're _usually_ the
> same name, just different locations, though that's not a requirement. And
> with a symbolic link, the "real" file is the master. The symbolic links can
> be deleted without affecting the master, but delete the master and all the
> rest become orphaned.
>
>
> Hope that helps?
>
> --
> Charlie.
> http://msmvps.com/xperts64
> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel
>
>
> "Carlos" <Carlos(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:D1A242E9-98CC-4CA4-9142-017809D4BFCD(a)microsoft.com...
> > What is a "symlink"?
> > Carlos
> >
> > "Charlie Russel - MVP" wrote:
> >
> >> I'm having a hard time understanding what this is good for? Of course, I
> >> hardly ever use shortcuts any more, now that I have real symlinks.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Charlie.
> >> http://msmvps.com/xperts64
> >> http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/profile/charlie.russel
> >>
> >>
> >> "Carlos" <Carlos(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> news:D175EF64-DDE3-4BC6-943C-AEA94A287CFC(a)microsoft.com...
> >> > http://www.frameworkx.com/Frameworkx/solution.aspx?id=632
> >> > "Windows Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover, aka FxVisor, allows you to
> >> > either
> >> > way to remove the shortcut overlay arrow or to even customize it in
> >> > Windows
> >> > Vista"
> >> > "Version 2.0:
> >> > Former Vista Shortcut Overlay Remover now called Vista Shortcut Manager
> >> > has
> >> > added many new welcome features like: Custom overlay icons,
> >> > Enable/Disable
> >> > "-shortcut" extension, full support for x64 platforms, and direct
> >> > upgrade
> >> > from version 1.3."
> >> > Direct download link for the x64 version:
> >> > http://www.frameworkx.com/Frameworkx/download.aspx?id=315
> >> > Carlos
> >> >
> >>
>
From: Carlos on 29 Oct 2007 12:49
Thanks!
Carlos

"XS11E" wrote:

> Carlos <Carlos(a)discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
>
> > What is a "symlink"?
> > Carlos
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_link
>
>
> --
> XS11E, Killing all posts from Google Groups
> The Usenet Improvement Project:
> http://improve-usenet.org
>
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