What is the situation with symlinks/junctions and hard links on Windows?

Support
1

Hi,

I am interested in using ST on mostly Win but I might end up using it on Linux as well. I am wondering how ST handles symlinks/junctions? I would prefer if it does not sync them as real files/folders, instead either just keeps them as links or just ignores them.

I know most sync tools like to avoid dealing with symlinks.

However it would be nice if ST does not dereferences hard links but respect their nature.

Thanks

2

The following may be synchronized or not, depending:

  • Symbolic links (synced, except on Windows, but never followed)

The following are not synchronized;

  • Hard links (followed, not preserved)
  • Windows junctions (synced as ordinary directories; require enabling in the configuration on a per-folder basis)

Source: https://docs.syncthing.net/users/faq.html#what-things-are-synced.

When it comes to junctions, there is also a caveat that file watching doesn’t work inside them.

3

Do you know if it is possible to ignore based on types like symlinks, junctions, hard files etc?

4

No, that’s impossible, however there are ways to add those to ignore patterns via an automated script, e.g. as discussed in https://forum.syncthing.net/t/is-there-a-way-to-ignore-symlinks-on-android/18446.

2 Likes
5

This topic was automatically closed 30 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.