DISCLAIMER: -I think I need this, considering MY program will be playing with YOUR harddisc 8) -
Using this module might result in DAMAGE of files, discs etc. Using it is at
your own risk.
(It's never happened to me though - it did set load & execution addresses for directories a couple of times -(a very long time ago)- )
I can be reached at:
e-mail: kramer@phys.uva.nl (preferably)
-mail: Steven Kramer
Kennemerbeekweg 11
2121 GA Bennebroek
(Netherlands)
THIS PROGRAM USES POPUPS
If you want an info window, a multi-tasking error box, and easy creation of links download the PopUp programs. It's in the PD, it's bound to become a standard and it greatly simplifies programming.
What is a symbolic link?
It's very simple: the symbolic link is a file that points to another file, and behaves just like it. So file contents, types, attributes etc. will appear to RiscOS like the original files. This works for directories and normal files.
Try running the test (double click LinkMake, then LinkTest) to see what happens, then *RMKill the module (or make it dormant with the Desktop interface) and load the link files into StrongEd or an inferior editor.
This means you can:
Have several 'copies' of a large file in/on different directories, discs or filing systems, that don't take more space than 256 bytes per copy. Also changing a file in one place changes every 'copy'.
Point to an important directory/application from another place on the disc just by creating a link to it. This could be used (in fact, it is used like this. By me) to create a directory in the root directory of your harddisc, which contains links to the applications you use most, so you can easily start them from there, while keeping everything nicely organised in their own folders.
Also I use this to make backups of my files. I've created a directory 'BackUps' with links to all the files/directories I want backed up, so I can simply drag this directory to an archiver to make the backup...
The format of a link is this:
The filename, up to 256 bytes long. Hey, that's it! (Basically)
The FileType of the file is defined by Links_FileType, and the default is (temporarily) &DFA. This is only 'till I get an allocation from Acorn. Alternatively,
you can set the filetype with the *commands.
The filename may be followed by any number of control characters/spaces, as long as the total length stays under 256 characters.
Remember: filenames must be full pathnames (i.e. 'adfs::Disc.$.Directory')
otherwise the link may behave unpredictably. -but never destructively, it just will not find your file (very likely), or point to another file with the same name in another directory (unlikely)-
About the module...
What it does do:
- allow you to use symbolic links to organise your discs more easily.
- work (almost) correctly, i.e Unix-like. You can do any file operation on a link, which will always work on the file/dir you've linked to, except when *Delete'ing, *Wipe'ing, *Copy'ing or *Rename'ing. These operations affect the actual link, and not the file it's pointing to EXCEPT WITH THE DESKTOP FILER (see below)
- work with the Desktop filer.
- work with filing system extensions like ArcFS.
- maybe work with image filing systems (don't know about that...).
- stop linking when you want it to, either via the Desktop or a *command.
- slow your file access a bit (not very much though). A typical Filer directory display containing lots of applications will take about a second more to open the first time 'round, and after that just half a second.
- install itself as a Desktop task as well. Drag a file/dir here to create a link to it, or drag a link to delete it. Also the links can be turned off here (Dormant).
But it's quirky when:
- You try to do either a Copy or a Delete from a Filer window. Copying a link to a directory will instead copy the original directory's contents.
The interactive filer Delete can not delete a link to a directory. Instead the links module will generate an error, *BUT* the filer will have resetted the file attributes of the first file in a directory. Use the desktop frontend instead.
- Deleting a file, whose pathname contains a link. This will generate an error. This protects you from accidental file deletion with the filer (yes, it happened to me).
- Supporting RiscOS 3 extended calls ( I don't have RO3, please send me some info). This means that the OS_File, OS_GBPB, OS_FSControl and OS_Find calls that were added to RO3 will NOT work with SymLinks. Sorry...
