symbolic link ?

donkey42 · 31-05-2006, 09:40 PM

hiya all, is a symbolic link the same or similar to a shortcut in windows - yes i am thick when it comes to linux lol

Addis · 31-05-2006, 09:51 PM

Similar, but not quite the same.

When you follow a symbolic link in linux, it takes you to its destination like in windows. But it is more flexible than a shortcut.

A symlink from /usr/local/example to /home/user would point to the /home/user directory. A program that writes to /usr/local/example directory would actually write to /home/user. In windows, the shortcut does not have that feature. A symlink is "transparent" in that it is not actually a file like .lnk shortcuts in windows, but a pointer instead.

donkey42 · 01-06-2006, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Addis

Similar, but not quite the same.

When you follow a symbolic link in linux, it takes you to its destination like in windows. But it is more flexible than a shortcut.

A symlink from /usr/local/example to /home/user would point to the /home/user directory. A program that writes to /usr/local/example directory would actually write to /home/user. In windows, the shortcut does not have that feature. A symlink is "transparent" in that it is not actually a file like .lnk shortcuts in windows, but a pointer instead.

so a symbolic link stores both the source & destinations within it, but does it write the data to both locations of just to /user/local/example or /home/user

Addis · 01-06-2006, 02:48 PM

In my example, /usr/local/example is the symlink. It doesn't write data itself. If I program tries to write to /usr/local/example, it seems to the program that it is writing to the directory. But in actual fact the data is being "redirected" to /home/user.

Another example of use:

Writing a file to the directory /usr/local/example/mydocs/ actually writes to /home/user/mydocs. the user/programs can write to directories contained within a symlink to some extent.

A symbolic link is just in fact, a link. It doesn't make a copy of the file, but simply "redirects" attempts to read/write to it to the actual destination.

donkey42 · 01-06-2006, 03:05 PM

oh right thanx

31-05-2006, 09:40 PM	#1 (permalink) Top
donkey42 Paranoid Geeky Geek Join Date: Mar 2006 Age: 34 Male Posts: 5,826 Times Helpful: 309 My Mood: Paranoid Status: Offline My Computer	symbolic link ? hiya all, is a symbolic link the same or similar to a shortcut in windows - yes i am thick when it comes to linux lol __________________ GRUB manual \| Google Linux \| Distrowatch \| Linux Chix \| Kubuntu \| My Mini City

31-05-2006, 09:51 PM	#2 (permalink) Top
Addis The King Join Date: Jan 2004 Age: 18 Male Posts: 5,255 Times Helpful: 403 My Mood: Drunk Status: Offline My Computer	Similar, but not quite the same. When you follow a symbolic link in linux, it takes you to its destination like in windows. But it is more flexible than a shortcut. A symlink from /usr/local/example to /home/user would point to the /home/user directory. A program that writes to /usr/local/example directory would actually write to /home/user. In windows, the shortcut does not have that feature. A symlink is "transparent" in that it is not actually a file like .lnk shortcuts in windows, but a pointer instead. __________________ Never trust a program you don't have the source code for. My website \| Powerful Desktop Linux \| Linux for human beings \| Linux for power users \| Linux for ricers

01-06-2006, 02:48 PM	#4 (permalink) Top
Addis The King Join Date: Jan 2004 Age: 18 Male Posts: 5,255 Times Helpful: 403 My Mood: Drunk Status: Offline My Computer	In my example, /usr/local/example is the symlink. It doesn't write data itself. If I program tries to write to /usr/local/example, it seems to the program that it is writing to the directory. But in actual fact the data is being "redirected" to /home/user. Another example of use: Writing a file to the directory /usr/local/example/mydocs/ actually writes to /home/user/mydocs. the user/programs can write to directories contained within a symlink to some extent. A symbolic link is just in fact, a link. It doesn't make a copy of the file, but simply "redirects" attempts to read/write to it to the actual destination. __________________ Never trust a program you don't have the source code for. My website \| Powerful Desktop Linux \| Linux for human beings \| Linux for power users \| Linux for ricers

01-06-2006, 03:05 PM	#5 (permalink) Top
donkey42 Paranoid Geeky Geek Join Date: Mar 2006 Age: 34 Male Posts: 5,826 Times Helpful: 309 My Mood: Paranoid Status: Offline My Computer	oh right thanx __________________ GRUB manual \| Google Linux \| Distrowatch \| Linux Chix \| Kubuntu \| My Mini City

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