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Forum Discussion
Trouble with internal symlinks
Hello,
I am struggling with symlinks. I can't get them to work.
I have a folder structure like this:
Fotos/jpeg/ [files]
Fotos/colecciones( [links to some files]
The links are defined like "../jpeg/[file]", so those links are pointing to files that are in Dropbox - I tried before linking to the full path, with the same results I describe below.
What is happening:
- In the web browser, I cannot preview the files
- In an Iphone and an Android, same thing, can't preview the files
- In a raspberry pi where I download the files with rclone, they appear empty to, even with the follow symlinks option.
- In a Mac where I have my dropbox account linked, I can see the files no problem
- In my wife's Mac (the folders are shared), I can also see the files.
According to the documentation, what I am doing should be working as the symlinks are symlinks to files in Dropbox. https://help.dropbox.com/es-es/installs-integrations/sync-uploads/symlinks
How can I get those symlinks to work?
Hi Claudio N.1 ,
Actually, you can't. Dropbox disabled symlink follow up for a long time already. When you use shared link to access some symbolic link you are accessing the symbolic link itself, not the pointed content! In case everything is in sync, as on your Mac, the symbolic link works as usual (there are both - link and pointed file, in sync).
Hope this clarifies matter.
Hi Claudio N.1 ,
Actually, you can't. Dropbox disabled symlink follow up for a long time already. When you use shared link to access some symbolic link you are accessing the symbolic link itself, not the pointed content! In case everything is in sync, as on your Mac, the symbolic link works as usual (there are both - link and pointed file, in sync).
Hope this clarifies matter.
bummer 😞
Hi again Claudio N.1,
There might be a workaround (not very convenient, but something). You can create shared links for all files you pointed to with symbolic links now. The existing symbolic links can be replaced with web links (the created before shared links), one by one. When you get in your link folder, there is "Create" dropdown menu:
There select "More" and after that "Shortcut". Follows dialog view:
..., where you can refer to whatever you want on the web (including shared link). Name it the same as the pointed file (or the same way you name symbolic link). 😉 That's it.
Now you can share a link to web link(s) created before or to the containing folder. In all cases, when opened in a supported browser, it will point out correctly.
Hope this helps.
