Windows Hard/Symlinks

[FrancisHarmany]

http://schinagl.priv.at/nt/hardlinkshel ... llext.html

Hardlinks provide the ability to keep a single copy of a file yet have it appear in multiple folders (directories).

This extention to windows helps with creating symbolic links under windows.
This allows you to "map" or "link" directories somewhere else on the same filesystem.

For Example:
original directory: C:\AUDIO\SAMPLES
link: C:\SCOPE PROJECTS\Phat Bastard\SAMPLES

This will make availible to content from C:\AUDIO\SAMPLES under C:\SCOPE PROJECTS\Phat Bastard\SAMPLES


This allows for more "standard" folder structures for your projects, while keeping bulk data in one place. However, a backup will copy only the content you "linked". So if you are working on a project and make the habit of linking every device/preset/file you need, then you will not get double files, but still have a project directory containing only the files you used in that project.

disclaimer: I have not done any project using this tool; but I might start when I am setting up new projects for Xite.

[valis]

Nice app, I always have to lookup the command line method for doing this. I've used NTFS Junction points in Win2k & Xp but had a few limitations (depending on the apps I used). I usually use it for development stuff, large graphics projects with resources spread all over (or sometimes for gaming). I'm not sure how it much of an extra load the dereference puts on file access (might be something to test when used for for rompler/sampler resources.) I don't use Hardlinks often.

The newer Junction point/Symbolic Link method for Vista was improved even more in Win7. The only issues I ever have are related to permissions (user-level permissions) and easily resolved (these crop up for a lot of things so you get used to it.) What's nice is this actually brings things more inline with what bsd & linux offer with symlinks/softlinks.

[FrancisHarmany]

Yes! Junction is supported as well under XP / 2003. Thats what I discovered via this tool anyway.

I doubt you'll see any performance difference as a directory is always "resolved". I can understand a performance hit if you link many individual files, instead of folders. But when linking folders, if any, the resolving to the real destination is/should be cached by the FileSystem.

[valis]

I was just reporting I've not got experience with needing a huge amount of polyphony on-tap, as I know there's a few people here that care about that (Jimmy, briancell etc).

The problems I have with junctions exist in Xp & Win2k, and are mostly related to when files are cached from the spot where they're loaded. For some reason the junction will force them to constantly be updated anyway. I've not spent the time to figure out what's going on I just take note of when it does cause problems and avoid doing that. I just mention as it's good to test out if you put it to exotic uses, and I did notice it does work considerably better with Vista/Win7 (ntfs5).

It's a nice thing to be aware of, and that's a very useful tool to make it easy for non-IT users to do this so thanks for sharing.

[at0m]

What!? Symlinks for XP?
Indeed one of the 'features' of *nix that I was missing a lot on XP!!

Thanks for that link!!