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Date: Tue, 22 Jun 2010 11:20:46 +0200
From: Corinna Vinschen <corinna-cygwin AT cygwin DOT com>
To: cygwin AT cygwin DOT com
Subject: Re: cygwin 1.7.5, 'id -ng' fails when /etc/group is a symlink
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On Jun 21 22:21, Ken wrote:
> >> Also, for reference, I have been successfully using a symlink for
> >> the /etc/group and /etc/passwd files for years in Cygwin 1.5x
> >> without issue and I would like to continue doing so in 1.7x.
> 
> >That won't be possible using Cygwin symlinks.  If you're running
> >Vista or later, you can try to make /etc/group a native NTFS symlink.
> >In your above example, for instance, in an elevated(!) shell:
> >
> >  bash$ cd /etc && cmd /c "mklink group _group
> 
> Now that I have "read" the documentation, I understand.  And, yes,
> the native NTFS symlink method does indeed work in Windows 7.
> Unfortunately, that will not help in my WinXP environments.  However,
> native Windows shortcuts (.lnk files) will work for my purposes in
> both OSes.  And, since the documentation for the special files in /etc
> states that "These file are read using native Windows NT functions",
> I presume that method would be acceptable in this case - I realize
> that this is somewhat unorthodox, however.

Hang on, are you saying that .lnk shortcuts really work for you in this
specific case?  Did you try it?

Otherwise, I doubt that they work.  Shortcuts are an invention for the
GUI, and they are evaluated by the user32 higher level lib.  They have
no meaning in the native NT API.

If you're looking for a workaround in the XP environment, I'd suggest to
create a directory junction for the /etc directory and let all XP
machines have the same /etc.


Corinna

-- 
Corinna Vinschen                  Please, send mails regarding Cygwin to
Cygwin Project Co-Leader          cygwin AT cygwin DOT com
Red Hat

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