What are Keeplink and Symlink?

Any questions? Need some help?
Post Reply
TigerTime
Posts: 1
Joined: 04 Aug 2019, 05:39

What are Keeplink and Symlink?

Post by TigerTime »

Hi,

I'm new to FileBot and I've searched all over for a comprehensive list of all of the features and options. I've found nothing that explains Keeplink and Symlink. What do they do? I'd suggest to make this information is easier to find.
User avatar
rednoah
The Source
Posts: 22923
Joined: 16 Nov 2011, 08:59
Location: Taipei
Contact:

Re: What are Keeplink and Symlink?

Post by rednoah »

1.
Symbolic links, or symlinks, are a very common and very fundamental file system concept that is common to all Unix-like operating systems:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbolic_link

:idea: Although Windows has had support for symlinks since NTFS was introduced, it's not commonly used on Windows. Note that Windows Shortcuts (i.e. *.lnk files) are the same on the conceptual level, but completely different on the operating system and file system level.

:idea: I do not recommend using symlinks on Windows, unless you know what you're doing and do want symlinks for one reason or another.


2.
Keeplink is a FileBot concept, where instead of creating a symlink at the target path linking back to the original path, FileBot will physically move the file, and then create a symlink at the original path, forwarding to the new file location.


3.
Hardlink is definitely something you'll want to look into though, because it's a powerful concept that can save you a lot of time and disk space, and you're already familiar with the concept, albeit unknowingly, because every "file" is a "hardlink" and vice versa:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_link#Example
:idea: Please read the FAQ and How to Request Help.
DarfNader
Posts: 48
Joined: 08 Apr 2018, 12:46

Re: What are Keeplink and Symlink?

Post by DarfNader »

Having only just now discovered the Keeplink, I have to say it's a superb feature. So much thought went into Filebot!
User avatar
rednoah
The Source
Posts: 22923
Joined: 16 Nov 2011, 08:59
Location: Taipei
Contact:

Re: What are Keeplink and Symlink?

Post by rednoah »

DarfNader wrote: 28 Oct 2019, 08:37 Having only just now discovered the Keeplink, I have to say it's a superb feature. So much thought went into Filebot!
I'd personally recommend sticking to hardlink or CoW clone operations though, because symbolic links make things unnecessarily complicated.
:idea: Please read the FAQ and How to Request Help.
mouzzampk2014
Posts: 35
Joined: 07 Jan 2019, 00:49

Re: What are Keeplink and Symlink?

Post by mouzzampk2014 »

I used this

Code: Select all

--action keeplink
and files moved successfully. But how can I verify if it's not taking twice the space or how can I check keeplink actually worked. Definitely there wasn't any error and files moved, just want to check files with keeplink?
User avatar
rednoah
The Source
Posts: 22923
Joined: 16 Nov 2011, 08:59
Location: Taipei
Contact:

Re: What are Keeplink and Symlink?

Post by rednoah »

Go to the original file path. Do ls -l. See if it's a symlink. ;)
:idea: Please read the FAQ and How to Request Help.
mouzzampk2014
Posts: 35
Joined: 07 Jan 2019, 00:49

Re: What are Keeplink and Symlink?

Post by mouzzampk2014 »

rednoah wrote: 18 Jan 2020, 14:44 Go to the original file path. Do ls -l. See if it's a symlink. ;)
Slick functionality, I have two external drives connected to NUC 2x 28TB so hardlinks only works withing one drive but keeplink resolved this issue :)

Nice work
devster
Posts: 417
Joined: 06 Jun 2017, 22:56

Re: What are Keeplink and Symlink?

Post by devster »

Symlinks make things easier when using torrents and crossing filesystem boundaries, I'd argue they're the only option in that case.
Things are harder though if you have to rebuild your library in reverse.
I only work in black and sometimes very, very dark grey. (Batman)
Post Reply