I am stuck on sym links

[theroar84]

I was trying to create a sym link to get to my chron folder super quickly. The image below show the error I am getting. Am I doing something wrong, or is it just not possible?

Looks like I do not know how to use the img tag either...

Iteresting that it shows up when I just add the link. As always, thanks for your time.

[HerrBert]

@theroar84
On your other topic at viewtopic.php?p=101567#p101567
you wrote:

(how do I put a sim link on a usb drive so I can click and get to that folder instantly?)

Just a guess:
Did you create the symbolic link on the same machine running the same Puppy Linux?
In some Puppies, crontabs is located in /var/spool/cron/ and in other it can be located in /var/local/cron/.
If you move the mouse pointer over the symbolic link, a tooltip should tell you its target.

[Keef]

Was the USB stick mounted? An obvious thing, but easy to overlook at first. I have a desktop symlink for a programme on a partition which is not mounted on boot up. It shows as an orange triangle with an apostrophe until I mount the partion.

[mikewalsh]

@theroar84 :-

Could be because the USB stick is formatted FAT32. FAT32 doesn't support sym-links, y'see....

As for the <img> 'tags'.....no, you've got them right. It's more likely because you've used the wrong link option from the image list at Imgur. I moved from Imgur to PostImages for this very reason.......because half the time, the Imgur links never worked properly for me. In fact, ever since their big redesign 3-4 years ago, the entire site has just been a PITA to use. Nothing's 'easy' any more.....

Mike.

[theroar84]

Sorry I forgot to add the basic details. I am running Fossa64 off the hard drive with the save file stored on a linux drive.

I was trying to drag that short cut right to the root drive.

I will double check to see if I did not have it mounted. I think that is unlikely though as I opened the drive so I could drag it there.

The steps of dragging, then choosing relative, are all I need... right? Just making sure I am not missing something really silly.

[HerrBert]

In fossapup64 9.5 crond is started from /root/Startup/crond. This makes /etc/init.d/crond executable and runs it.
/etc/init.d/crond restart:

Code: Select all

	restart)
		kill_crond
		mkdir -p /var/spool/cron/crontabs
		busybox crond -c /var/spool/cron/crontabs
		;;

So the initial path to crontabs is /var/spool/cron/

The culprit is pschedule:

Code: Select all

mkdir -p /var/spool/cron/crontabs
if [ ! -L /var/local/cron -o ! -e /var/local/cron ] ; then
	rm -rf /var/local/cron 2>/dev/null
	ln -s ../../var/spool/cron /var/local/cron
fi

So /var/local/cron is a symbolic link to ../../var/spool/cron created by pschedule.
What happens to your broken link if you run pschedule?

[bigpup]

I am running Fossa

This does not tell us the specific Puppy version.

WE ALWAYS NEED TO HAVE THE COMPLETE NAME OF THE PUPPY VERSION ISO!!!!!

There are several OS's on this forum that have fossa in their names.

All Puppy versions are slightly different and not knowing the specific one you are using.

We have to guess!

Even the difference in the version of a program, you are doing something in, will affect how to do it!

[theroar84]

Appreciate the tip.

Fossa64 9.5

[theroar84]

So there are really 2 chrontabs... but only becuase of pSchedule. I will see what happens when I use the other one. Thanks tons for the info.

What happens to your broken link if you run pschedule?

Pshcedule has been working fine.

[theroar84]

I did confirm that both chrontab folders are there. The symlink dropped in the home folder still would not launch.

I decided to try to just make a script to launch rox in the folder. After searching I could not find how to add the folder. It seemed like rox wanted to go to the folder, but my syntax is wrong. Any tips? As always thanks for your time and patience as I explore puppy.

Error

[HerrBert]

try:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
rox -d /var/spool/cron/crontabs

rox-crontabs.jpg (15.43 KiB) Viewed 483 times

[theroar84]

Thank you. Does -d signify directory?

[HerrBert]

Simple

Code: Select all

# LANG=C rox --help
Usage: ROX-Filer/AppRun [OPTION]... [FILE]...
Open each directory or file listed, or the current working
directory if no arguments are given.

  -b, --border=PANEL	open PANEL as a border panel
  -B, --bottom=PANEL	open PAN as a bottom-edge panel
  -c, --client-id=ID	used for session management
  -d, --dir=DIR		open DIR as directory (not application)
  -D, --close=DIR	close DIR and its subdirectories
  -h, --help		display this help and exit
  -l, --left=PANEL	open PAN as a left-edge panel
  -m, --mime-type=FILE	print MIME type of FILE and exit
  -n, --new		start new copy; for debugging the filer
  -p, --pinboard=PIN	use pinboard PIN as the pinboard
  -r, --right=PANEL	open PAN as a right-edge panel
  -R, --RPC		invoke method call read from stdin
  -s, --show=FILE	open a directory showing FILE
  -S, --rox-session	use default panel and pinboard options, and -n
  -t, --top=PANEL	open PANEL as a top-edge panel
  -u, --user		show user name in each window 
  -U, --url=URL		open file or directory in URI form
  -v, --version		display the version information and exit
  -x, --examine=FILE	FILE has changed - re-examine it

Report bugs to <rox-devel@lists.sourceforge.net>.
Home page (including updated versions): http://rox.sourceforge.net/

Does not solve the problem with symbolic links, but if it does what you want to do, it's ok

BTW: There is nothing wrong with dragging and choosing relative to create a symbolic link

[mikeslr]

Just re-read HerrBert's initial reply on this thread:

"(how do I put a sim link on a usb drive so I can click and get to that folder instantly?)" So my understanding is that your chron folder is on the usb-drive while your OS is on the hard-drive.

As far as I know, you can't create a symlink to a USB-Drive because the location of the USB-Drive is dynamically established anew on each boot-up. The reverse (symlink from USB-drive to hard-drive) can be done because the relative position of hard-drives are assigned first and do not change from one boot-up to another unless you change hard-drives or change bios's assignment of priority of hard-drives.

Hope Herrbert's solution not employing symbolic links works.

[theroar84]

Thanks for checking. The chron folder was on the hard drive. I just wanted to be able to access it with a sym link. Back then I thought it would be slick to have that on a USB stick, but I am working off the home drive instead of usb now. I still cannot get those sym links to work though.

I do not think anyone responded the the USB post. I cannot even find it now.

Good point on the USB drives being dynamic. Makes total sense. Sure do apprecaite all the tips.

[theroar84]

try:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/bash
rox -d /var/spool/cron/crontabs

Worked like a charm! Thanks so much!

[Phoenix]

As far as I know, you can't create a symlink to a USB-Drive because the location of the USB-Drive is dynamically established anew on each boot-up. The reverse (symlink from USB-drive to hard-drive) can be done because the relative position of hard-drives are assigned first and do not change from one boot-up to another unless you change hard-drives or change bios's assignment of priority of hard-drives.

You can but unless you're manually enforcing order it will be a world of pain. (Only really safe symlink to use is /mnt/home) More specifically, you are linking to folders that are mountpoints, which Puppy creates in response to dynamic assignments by Linux. and therefore if you insert USBs in a different order, a different USB will take the place of the mountpoint (example: /mnt/sdb1) and render the symlink dangling or other unexpected effects.

Even hard drives can change too, if you're willing to do that.