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Date: Tue, 30 Sep 2003 12:42:40 -0400
To: Matt Swift <swift AT alum DOT mit DOT edu>, Cygwin List <cygwin AT cygwin DOT com>
From: Larry Hall <cygwin-lh AT cygwin DOT com>
Subject: Re: ln and mkshortcut inconsistent in handling of .exe
  extension
In-Reply-To: <m2he2vtfqt.fsf@beth.swift.xxx>
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At 06:02 PM 9/29/2003, Matt Swift you wrote:

>>> "L" == Larry wrote:
>
>    L> 'ln' and 'mkshortcut' have different behavior for a reason.  See 
>    L> <http://cygwin.com/cygwin-ug-net/using-effectively.html#AEN1516>.
>    L> The difference is why 'mkshortcut' exists.  Otherwise, we'd just have
>    L> 'ln' (which is all we had for quite some time until the need for 
>    L> different behavior was realized).
>
>
>
>I had seen that discussion.  I found no discussion of the particular
>interaction of shortcuts/symlinks and the special handling of the .exe
>extension.  To predict the results of the commands I listed, I had to
>experiment.
>
>Second, I still don't understand why `ln' shouldn't behave the way I
>suggested: how is it better the way it is than if `ln -s' never
>created broken shortcuts 


The documentation I directed you to explains why 'ln -s' functions as it
does and from that follows the need for 'mkshortcut'.  'ln -s' doesn't
create 'broken shortcuts'.  It creates symbolic links with UNIX semantics.  
That's the goal.  If you want/need a Windows-style shortcut with all the 
semantics that implies, use 'mkshortuct'.  Is that the point you were 
missing?


>and 'ln' (hardlink) defaulted to a target of
>"foo.exe" when the supplied target "foo" doesn't exist?  


I'm inclined to agree on this.  I think symmetry here would be a good thing.
Still, I haven't done any real investigation of this issue so I was 
withholding any bold proclamation on it.  I'm sure it fits into the 
category of <http://cygwin.com/acronyms/#PTC> if you're inclined to 
investigate further.



--
Larry Hall                              http://www.rfk.com
RFK Partners, Inc.                      (508) 893-9779 - RFK Office
838 Washington Street                   (508) 893-9889 - FAX
Holliston, MA 01746                     


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