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RE: using Windows links


At 03:04 AM 5/2/2002, Mellman Thomas wrote:
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: Larry Hall (RFK Partners, Inc) [mailto:lhall@rfk.com]
> >>Sent: Tuesday, April 30, 2002 4:17 PM
> >>To: Mellman Thomas; cygwin@cygwin.com
> >>Subject: Re: using Windows links
> >>>An interesting side effect: I have a shortcut (Desktop.lnk) 
> >>on my $HOME
> >>>that was originally created by Windows.  I can't cd there 
> >>anymore.  I tried
> >>>to create a second link for Cygwin (Desktop), but ln tells 
> >>me it already
> >>>exists!
> >>>
> >>>$ ln -s $nt/Desktop Desktop
> >>>/bin/ln: creating symbolic link `Desktop' to 
> >>`/cygdrive/c/WINNT/Profiles/mt099378/Desktop': File exists
> >>>
> >>>Thus, even though Desktop.lnk isn't recognized as anything 
> >>special, it
> >>>is anyway!
> >>
> >>
> >>Just because it isn't recognized as a Cygwin symbolic link 
> >>doesn't mean it
> >>doesn't exist as a file as far as Cygwin is concerned.
>
>
>
>The thing is, the Windows-created Shortcut is called Desktop.lnk and I'm trying to create simply Desktop.  There is NO file called Desktop.  But ln(1) fails, telling me that Desktop exists.


Cygwin symlinks, by default, create windows shortcuts.  Windows shortcuts 
append ".lnk" onto the name of the file given as the shortcut.  So you may
think you're asking Cygwin to create "Desktop" but you're actually asking 
it to create "Desktop.lnk".  


>Thus, cygwin is throwing in the towel on link/Shortcut compatibility, but I think it was forgotten to remove some of the code.


Wrong on both accounts.  The default Cygwin symbolic link creation mode 
makes shortcuts.  These shortcuts are usable directly by Explorer and other
Windows apps that understand Windows shortcuts.  Shortcuts made by Windows
are not grokked as Cygwin shortcuts however.  There's nothing "wrong" here.
But don't let that statement stop you from looking at the code and offering
patches that add some great new functionality! :-)


>Hmmm.  Theoretically, I should fix this myself.  If I were able to right now (unfortunately, I don't think now is the right time), how could I contribute here?  I'd have to get all the source for cygwin1.dll, configure my machine for remote CVS access, find and make the change, and then?  What would be next?

Start here: www.cygwin.com/contributing


Larry Hall                              lhall@rfk.com
RFK Partners, Inc.                      http://www.rfk.com
838 Washington Street                   (508) 893-9779 - RFK Office
Holliston, MA 01746                     (508) 893-9889 - FAX


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