NTLinks + NTLinksMaker: NTFS links creation and information

MVV · Post by *MVV » 2016-12-13, 16:54 UTC

cipo,
What exactly have you installed? NTLinks? NTLinks Maker?

NTLinks is a content plugin and may be used for custom columns or in setting attributes.
NTLinks Maker may be used from button or hotkey, but you have to define that button first (refer to section 5 of Readme).

CrMaReLi · Post by *CrMaReLi » 2017-01-09, 11:19 UTC

For some reason I can't get the utility to create proper symlinks to files.

I use recommended parameters from read me. Everything is working and creating fine except symlinks for files. Moreover, all apps can work properly with these symlinks, except file managers (including TC). I think problem is that

*sorry I can't post pictures yet so I'll try to explain*

When symlink created via your utility, if you open its properties and go to the tab "shortcut" it appears that all fields here are empty

When symlink is created via any other program or windows command, if you go to properties and the "shortcut" tab, "target" field will have a path to the source file

At the same time, if to look via your content plugin, both links have a path to the source file. And moreover - both of them can be accessed through other apps like text editor, music player etc directly. But yours doesn't work via explorer, tc etc.

Program version - NTLinks Maker 1.1.1.322
TC version - 9.0a
Tried to work with utility via explorer and cmd - yes (the same result)
Tested on other machines - yes (two notebooks and a PC, same result)
Windows - 10, latest update

MVV · Post by *MVV » 2017-01-09, 11:59 UTC

Thank you for the report, I've checked and it is really so, Explorer can't show properties of my symlinks (it is true for both file and folder links), so it can't find files but it is somehow able to enter directories (perhaps because directories are processed by low level code).

Horst.Epp · Post by *Horst.Epp » 2017-01-09, 12:05 UTC

CrMaReLi wrote:For some reason I can't get the utility to create proper symlinks to files.

I use recommended parameters from read me. Everything is working and creating fine except symlinks for files. Moreover, all apps can work properly with these symlinks, except file managers (including TC). I think problem is that

*sorry I can't post pictures yet so I'll try to explain*

When symlink created via your utility, if you open its properties and go to the tab "shortcut" it appears that all fields here are empty

When symlink is created via any other program or windows command, if you go to properties and the "shortcut" tab, "target" field will have a path to the source file

At the same time, if to look via your content plugin, both links have a path to the source file. And moreover - both of them can be accessed through other apps like text editor, music player etc directly. But yours doesn't work via explorer, tc etc.

Program version - NTLinks Maker 1.1.1.322
TC version - 9.0a
Tried to work with utility via explorer and cmd - yes (the same result)
Tested on other machines - yes (two notebooks and a PC, same result)
Windows - 10, latest update

NTLinks Maker can only create Symlinks if TC runs elevated !
Unfortunately it doesn't offer to elevate even the Link type was set to
Symbolic links only.

CrMaReLi · Post by *CrMaReLi » 2017-01-09, 12:23 UTC

MVV wrote:somehow able to enter directories (perhaps because directories are processed by low level code).

Yeah, directories do work, forgot to mention this
Also, funny thing, that the problem occurs only with file managers. Apps, like AkelPad for example treat your symlinks to files normally if to open them through the app dialog.
Anyway, thanks for clearing the situation. I kinda tested everything to be sure, that it's not me who has broken OS and it's settings, leading to this)

CrMaReLi · Post by *CrMaReLi » 2017-01-09, 12:28 UTC

Horst.Epp wrote: NTLinks Maker can only create Symlinks if TC runs elevated !
Unfortunately it doesn't offer to elevate even the Link type was set to
Symbolic links only.

Actually that's not a problem. I typed * before the command. Example:
*%commanderpath%\utils\ntlinksmaker\ntlinksmaker.exe <parameters>
And it asks for elevation as it should.

* works like /admin for commands in totalcommander

MVV · Post by *MVV » 2017-01-09, 12:38 UTC

Horst.Epp wrote:NTLinks Maker can only create Symlinks if TC runs elevated !
Unfortunately it doesn't offer to elevate even the Link type was set to
Symbolic links only.

NTLinks Maker does offer to elevate for the first time when it is unable to perform an operation due to lack of permissions, and it specially asks for elevation when you set Symbolic links only mode (so it does offer to elevate when you create symbolic links), and it was one of the first its features (and it is mentioned in description and Readme)! You have to press Retry button in corresponding error/warning window.

CrMaReLi wrote:Yeah, directories do work, forgot to mention this
Also, funny thing, that the problem occurs only with file managers. Apps, like AkelPad for example treat your symlinks to files normally if to open them through the app dialog.
Anyway, thanks for clearing the situation. I kinda tested everything to be sure, that it's not me who has broken OS and it's settings, leading to this)

I've checked it with debugger, current NTLinks Maker sets prefixed (long path prefix \\?\) printable symlink name while mklink sets unprefixed one.
It seems that Explorer reads printable symlink name instead of substitute name (it is a shame that it uses printable name instead of substitute name that is really identifies the target) and of course Explorer doesn't support long paths...

The most interesting thing is that I use CreateSymbolicLink function that creates reparse point and sets fields for me, and it does require prefixed long paths...

Horst.Epp · Post by *Horst.Epp » 2017-01-09, 13:53 UTC

MVV wrote:
Horst.Epp wrote:NTLinks Maker can only create Symlinks if TC runs elevated !
Unfortunately it doesn't offer to elevate even the Link type was set to
Symbolic links only.
NTLinks Maker does offer to elevate for the first time when it is unable to perform an operation due to lack of permissions, and it specially asks for elevation when you set Symbolic links only mode (so it does offer to elevate when you create symbolic links), and it was one of the first its features (and it is mentioned in description and Readme)! You have to press Retry button in corresponding error/warning window.

MVV · Post by *MVV » 2017-01-09, 20:23 UTC

I've discovered why Windows Explorer is unable to show target paths for links created with Windows API function CreateSymbolicLink: this function doesn't put null character between printable path and substitute path in reparse point buffer...

Please test this version, it now creates symlinks by hands instead of calling CreateSymbolicLink function:

NTLinks Maker Build 340
+ wildcard filename mask support (default mask is now *.* for consistency with TC)
+ symlinks are now created manually in Explorer-compatible form

CrMaReLi · Post by *CrMaReLi » 2017-01-10, 00:27 UTC

MVV wrote:Please test this version

Briefly tested all basic features, like creating hard and symbolic links for files and
symbolic and junctions for folders between different folders of the same drive and and between different drives

Everything seems to be working

Post by *petermad » 2017-02-18, 12:08 UTC

2MVV

Danish translation of NTLinksMaker 1.1.0.322 can be downloaded at:

http://madsenworld.dk/tcmd/NTLinksMaker_1.1.0.322dan.7z

MVV · Post by *MVV » 2017-02-18, 20:37 UTC

Thank you, petermad!
I've released latest version with your translation.

NTLinks Maker 1.2.0.340

thomasmolover · Post by *thomasmolover » 2017-02-21, 15:56 UTC

I like this plugins and translated it to untested SimpleChinese

Code: Select all

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B6bBvQaXvGDJcUJ5SUJZVDkxY0k/view?usp=sharing

MVV · Post by *MVV » 2017-02-21, 16:28 UTC

Thank you, I'll add it into next release.

DrShark · Post by *DrShark » 2017-02-25, 18:23 UTC

I'd like to suggest to add the catalog making mode to NTLinksMaker to make things similar to those I mentioned here but using mostly current Maker possibilities. This will not make all I mentioned in that suggestion, but at least it will allow to veiw catalog in both TC and Explorer without using some unpackers etc.
In this mode Maker can do following:
1. Make target folders, not links to them, attributes copied from source.
2. For files make symlinks (attributes copied from source files to their symlinks), except for descript.ion (see 3.).
3. Copy comments or whole descript.ion files.
4. Files sizes, maybe some other file info, added as new first or last line of file comment in already copied or new descript.ion file.
5. Would be nice to have ignored file/folder read errors with possibility to use some NSCopy-like mode to at least try to save some file comments from e.g. broken optical media.