threads / discuss / 34670

git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

Subject: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

## tl;dr

12 messages between Aug 10, 2013 and Sep 8, 2013.

replies: 11people: 5as markdown or json

Sedat Kapanoglu· Aug 10, 2013, 12:10 UTC · lore

Hi,

I verified this behavior on Git 1.7.8 and 1.8.3.

My D:\src folder is a symlink to another folder in my Google Drive, created by Windows command mklink /d d:\src "d:\Google Drive\src"

D:\src>git clone https://github.com/jlewallen/jenkins-hipchat-plugin.git Cloning into 'jenkins-hipchat-plugin'... fatal: Invalid symlink 'D:/src': Function not implemented

The same error is shown with the bash prompt too:

$ git clone https://github.com/jlewallen/jenkins-hipchat-plugin.git Cloning into 'jenkins-hipchat-plugin'... fatal: Invalid symlink 'd:/src': Function not implemented

If I go one directory below (D:\src\somethingelse) the command works fine but not at the root of the symlink directory.

Thanks,

Sedat

Fredrik Gustafsson· Aug 10, 2013, 12:51 UTC · re: Sedat Kapanoglu · lore

Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

On Sat, Aug 10, 2013 at 03:10:49PM +0300, Sedat Kapanoglu wrote:

Show 6 quoted lines

> My D:\src folder is a symlink to another folder in my Google Drive, created
> by Windows command mklink /d d:\src "d:\Google Drive\src"
> 
> D:\src>git clone https://github.com/jlewallen/jenkins-hipchat-plugin.git
> Cloning into 'jenkins-hipchat-plugin'...
> fatal: Invalid symlink 'D:/src': Function not implemented

git is a disk intense program, so this setup is not sane at all. With that said I know that git on windows historically had problems with working on smb-mounted shares (sometimes you're forced to have stupid setups). I doubt that git really is the right tool for your work, since you're using a decentralized tool in a centralized work flow. Maybe something like subversion would suite you better. (or just simple use a hosting service such as github/bitbucket/your own server).

However I can't find that error message in the git source code which make me wonder if this actually is a git problem. Could you investigate more on where that error message comes from?

Using dropbox git users have experienced corrupt repositories due to the dropbox sync algoritm isn't suited for the git file access patterns, I would imagine that you could have the same problems using google drive.

-- 
Med vänliga hälsningar
Fredrik Gustafsson

tel: 0733-608274
e-post: iveqy@iveqy.com

Sedat Kapanoglu· Aug 10, 2013, 16:22 UTC · re: Fredrik Gustafsson · lore

Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

> git is a disk intense program, so this setup is not sane at all. With
> that said I know that git on windows historically had problems with
> working on smb-mounted shares (sometimes you're forced to have stupid
> setups). I doubt that git really is the right tool for your work, since

I reproduced the same problem in a regular symlink directory. Repro steps:

mkdir actualdir mklink /d symdir actualdir cd symdir git init .

fatal: Invalid symlink 'D:/gitto': Function not implemented

Thanks,

Sedat

Sedat Kapanoglu· Aug 10, 2013, 16:22 UTC · re: Sedat Kapanoglu · lore

Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

(my symdir was called 'gitto', fyi)

On Sat, Aug 10, 2013 at 7:22 PM, Sedat Kapanoglu <sedat@eksiteknoloji.com> wrote:

Show 17 quoted lines

>> git is a disk intense program, so this setup is not sane at all. With
>> that said I know that git on windows historically had problems with
>> working on smb-mounted shares (sometimes you're forced to have stupid
>> setups). I doubt that git really is the right tool for your work, since
>
> I reproduced the same problem in a regular symlink directory. Repro steps:
>
> mkdir actualdir
> mklink /d symdir actualdir
> cd symdir
> git init .
>
> fatal: Invalid symlink 'D:/gitto': Function not implemented
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sedat

Fredrik Gustafsson· Aug 10, 2013, 16:34 UTC · re: Sedat Kapanoglu · lore

Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

On Sat, Aug 10, 2013 at 07:22:03PM +0300, Sedat Kapanoglu wrote:

Show 17 quoted lines

> > git is a disk intense program, so this setup is not sane at all. With
> > that said I know that git on windows historically had problems with
> > working on smb-mounted shares (sometimes you're forced to have stupid
> > setups). I doubt that git really is the right tool for your work, since
> 
> I reproduced the same problem in a regular symlink directory. Repro steps:
> 
> mkdir actualdir
> mklink /d symdir actualdir
> cd symdir
> git init .
> 
> fatal: Invalid symlink 'D:/gitto': Function not implemented
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Sedat

Good, then we can determinate that this is a symlink error, it seams that readlink() isn't implemented in the msysgit version of msysgit.

However msysgit should have a implementation of readlink() according to: http://mingw.5.n7.nabble.com/Replacement-for-readlink-td30679.html

I've CC:ed the msysgit-maillist so that they can decide if this is something they want to address in newer releases.

(In the git source code the readlink call in this abspath.c)

-- 
Med vänliga hälsningar
Fredrik Gustafsson

tel: 0733-608274
e-post: iveqy@iveqy.com

Erik Faye-Lund· Aug 11, 2013, 03:04 UTC · re: Fredrik Gustafsson · lore

Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

On Sat, Aug 10, 2013 at 6:34 PM, Fredrik Gustafsson <iveqy@iveqy.com> wrote:

Show 27 quoted lines

> On Sat, Aug 10, 2013 at 07:22:03PM +0300, Sedat Kapanoglu wrote:
>> > git is a disk intense program, so this setup is not sane at all. With
>> > that said I know that git on windows historically had problems with
>> > working on smb-mounted shares (sometimes you're forced to have stupid
>> > setups). I doubt that git really is the right tool for your work, since
>>
>> I reproduced the same problem in a regular symlink directory. Repro steps:
>>
>> mkdir actualdir
>> mklink /d symdir actualdir
>> cd symdir
>> git init .
>>
>> fatal: Invalid symlink 'D:/gitto': Function not implemented
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Sedat
>
> Good, then we can determinate that this is a symlink error, it seams
> that readlink() isn't implemented in the msysgit version of msysgit.
>
> However msysgit should have a implementation of readlink() according to:
> http://mingw.5.n7.nabble.com/Replacement-for-readlink-td30679.html
>
> I've CC:ed the msysgit-maillist so that they can decide if this is
> something they want to address in newer releases.

No, we do not. (I won't be bothered to read *yet* another thread about someone who thinks they know how symlinks should work on Windows, so I'll assume it's the Cygwin-take... which is the most senseful IMO) Symlinks in Cygwin are generally not compatible with native Windows applications.

And Windows symlinks are not at all compatible with POSIX-symlinks. At all.

Whoever wants symlink support in Git for Windows have clearly not considered how this would work (or more likely, break). It's an idea built on misunderstanding and poor engineering-concepts.

There's no way we can support symlinks in a clean, Windows specific way. So let's not even pretend it works.

That being said, we could probably error out in a more senseful way. But if so,suggestions/patches welcome.

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Sedat Kapanoglu· Aug 11, 2013, 07:28 UTC · re: Erik Faye-Lund · lore

Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

Thanks folks. So that this won't be fixed, I added a new Q&A to MsysGit FAQ at https://github.com/msysgit/msysgit/wiki/Frequently-Asked-Questions , I appreciate if you can review and correct if needed. I hope it will help avoiding further conversations about this matter.

Sedat

Erik Faye-Lund· Aug 11, 2013, 14:05 UTC · re: Sedat Kapanoglu · lore

Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

On Sun, Aug 11, 2013 at 9:28 AM, Sedat Kapanoglu <sedat@eksiteknoloji.com> wrote:

> Thanks folks. So that this won't be fixed, I added a new Q&A to
> MsysGit FAQ at https://github.com/msysgit/msysgit/wiki/Frequently-Asked-Questions
> , I appreciate if you can review and correct if needed. I hope it will
> help avoiding further conversations about this matter.

Thanks, that's very helpful!

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Michael Geddes· Aug 20, 2013, 07:30 UTC · re: Fredrik Gustafsson · lore

Re: Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

This type of functionality is directly supported by the work I've already done on symlinks here: https://github.com/frogonwheels/git (branches mrg/symlink-v* )

Even if we agree that symlinks only work to a limited degree, or that there are definite limitations, and that the default should be that symlinks NOT be supported within repositories, I'm not sure why people are against incorporating what I've already implemented.. ok well I guess I do - it's about time.

Firstly, at the least it means that symlinks like this example where they are outside the repository are supported. Secondly it means that people who are prepared to accept the limitations will be able to use (or at least clone) repositories containing symlinks.

One of the big, painful limitations is that windoze symlinks need to be marked as directories at the time of creation. The code I have implemented does it's level best to create the correct type of NTFS symlink based on repository information and falling back on filesystem information.

The argument about permissions is only partially valid, since that can be granted as an individual permission to the user without permanent administrator rights.

//.ichael G.

On Sat, 10 Aug 2013 06:34:59 PM Fredrik Gustafsson wrote:

Show 29 quoted lines

> On Sat, Aug 10, 2013 at 07:22:03PM +0300, Sedat Kapanoglu wrote:
> > > git is a disk intense program, so this setup is not sane at all. With
> > > that said I know that git on windows historically had problems with
> > > working on smb-mounted shares (sometimes you're forced to have stupid
> > > setups). I doubt that git really is the right tool for your work, since
> > 
> > I reproduced the same problem in a regular symlink directory. Repro steps:
> > 
> > mkdir actualdir
> > mklink /d symdir actualdir
> > cd symdir
> > git init .
> > 
> > fatal: Invalid symlink 'D:/gitto': Function not implemented
> > 
> > Thanks,
> > 
> > Sedat
> 
> Good, then we can determinate that this is a symlink error, it seams
> that readlink() isn't implemented in the msysgit version of msysgit.
> 
> However msysgit should have a implementation of readlink() according to:
> http://mingw.5.n7.nabble.com/Replacement-for-readlink-td30679.html
> 
> I've CC:ed the msysgit-maillist so that they can decide if this is
> something they want to address in newer releases.
> 
> (In the git source code the readlink call in this abspath.c)

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MNGoldenEagle· Aug 23, 2013, 19:12 UTC · re: Michael Geddes · lore

Re: Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

Aside from having to specify whether or not the symbolic link points to a file or directory, what are the limitations of symlinks? I'm a bit curious, having used them myself but never encountering any significant issues with them. I remember hearing at one point that Windows Vista could only create up to 31 links inside a directory, but I just checked on my Windows 7 machine and was able to generate over 600 links to a directory without a problem, so I'm guessing Windows 7 worked around this issue.

Jesse

On Tue, Aug 20, 2013 at 2:30 AM, Michael Geddes < michael@frog.wheelycreek.net> wrote:

Show 88 quoted lines

> This type of functionality is directly supported by the work I've already
> done
> on symlinks here:   https://github.com/frogonwheels/git
> (branches mrg/symlink-v*  )
>
> Even if we agree that symlinks only work to a limited degree, or that there
> are definite limitations, and that the default should be that symlinks NOT
> be
> supported within repositories, I'm not sure why people are against
> incorporating what I've already implemented.. ok well I guess I do - it's
> about time.
>
> Firstly, at the least it means that symlinks like this example where they
> are
> outside the repository are supported.  Secondly it means that people who
> are
> prepared to accept the limitations will be able to use (or at least clone)
> repositories containing symlinks.
>
> One of the big, painful limitations is that windoze symlinks need to be
> marked
> as directories at the time of creation.  The code I have implemented does
> it's
> level best to create the correct type of NTFS symlink based on repository
> information and falling back on filesystem information.
>
> The argument about permissions is only partially valid, since that can be
> granted as an individual permission to the user without permanent
> administrator rights.
>
> //.ichael G.
>
> On Sat, 10 Aug 2013 06:34:59 PM Fredrik Gustafsson wrote:
> > On Sat, Aug 10, 2013 at 07:22:03PM +0300, Sedat Kapanoglu wrote:
> > > > git is a disk intense program, so this setup is not sane at all. With
> > > > that said I know that git on windows historically had problems with
> > > > working on smb-mounted shares (sometimes you're forced to have stupid
> > > > setups). I doubt that git really is the right tool for your work,
> since
> > >
> > > I reproduced the same problem in a regular symlink directory. Repro
> steps:
> > >
> > > mkdir actualdir
> > > mklink /d symdir actualdir
> > > cd symdir
> > > git init .
> > >
> > > fatal: Invalid symlink 'D:/gitto': Function not implemented
> > >
> > > Thanks,
> > >
> > > Sedat
> >
> > Good, then we can determinate that this is a symlink error, it seams
> > that readlink() isn't implemented in the msysgit version of msysgit.
> >
> > However msysgit should have a implementation of readlink() according to:
> > http://mingw.5.n7.nabble.com/Replacement-for-readlink-td30679.html
> >
> > I've CC:ed the msysgit-maillist so that they can decide if this is
> > something they want to address in newer releases.
> >
> > (In the git source code the readlink call in this abspath.c)
>
> --
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Michael· Aug 28, 2013, 00:54 UTC · re: MNGoldenEagle · lore

Re: Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

I really don't know Jesse,

The permissions issue keeps coming up, but to me it seems a non-issue as there is a CLI command to issue the appropriate permissions to a user. The directory link being separate is a painful but known issue, and my solution should work in most every-day ways, as long as the symlinks aren't dangling within the repository tree itself.

We could possibly limit the types of NTFS symbolic links that would actually be embedded in a git database to relative links (or is that done already?). I'm quite happy to have 'That type of NTFS symbolic link is not supported' as a valid solution to anything that is outside of simple symbolic links.

Currently the biggest thing holding symlinks back from being complete is lack of support in MSYS itself - which might be solved by using MSYS2. I have worked around this in the tests by overriding various commands with shell functions that implement operations on symlinks via cmd.exe. The only current exception to this is tar, which I can't do much about.

I've just rebased my symlink branch onto pt/tentative-1.8.4 and am chasing down test failures.

The tests like to make the symlinks before creating directories, or to create dangling symlinks, which doesn't help my cause - but am working through it.

//.

On 23.08.2013 12:12, MNGoldenEagle wrote:

> Aside

from having to specify whether or not the symbolic link points to a file or directory, what are the limitations of symlinks? I'm a bit curious, having used them myself but never encountering any significant issues with them. I remember hearing at one point that Windows Vista could only create up to 31 links inside a directory, but I just checked on my Windows 7 machine and was able to generate over 600 links to a directory without a problem, so I'm guessing Windows 7 worked around this issue.

> Jesse 
> 
> On Tue, Aug 20, 2013 at 2:30 AM, Michael Geddes

<michael@frog.wheelycreek.net> wrote:

> 
>> This type of functionality

is directly supported by the work I've already done

>> on symlinks here:

https://github.com/frogonwheels/git [1]

>> (branches mrg/symlink-v* )
>>

>> Even if we agree that symlinks only work to a limited degree, or

that there

>> are definite limitations, and that the default should be

that symlinks NOT be

>> supported within repositories, I'm not sure why

people are against

>> incorporating what I've already implemented.. ok

well I guess I do - it's

>> about time.
>> 
>> Firstly, at the least it

means that symlinks like this example where they are

>> outside the

repository are supported. Secondly it means that people who are

>>

prepared to accept the limitations will be able to use (or at least clone)

>> repositories containing symlinks.
>> 
>> One of the big,

painful limitations is that windoze symlinks need to be marked

>> as

directories at the time of creation. The code I have implemented does it's

>> level best to create the correct type of NTFS symlink based on

repository

>> information and falling back on filesystem information.
>>

>> The argument about permissions is only partially valid, since that

can be

>> granted as an individual permission to the user without

permanent

Show 5 quoted lines

>> administrator rights.
>> 
>> //.ichael G.
>> 
>> On Sat, 10

Aug 2013 06:34:59 PM Fredrik Gustafsson wrote:

>> > On Sat, Aug 10, 2013

at 07:22:03PM +0300, Sedat Kapanoglu wrote:

>> > > > git is a disk

intense program, so this setup is not sane at all. With

>> > > > that

said I know that git on windows historically had problems with

>> > > >

working on smb-mounted shares (sometimes you're forced to have stupid

>>
> > > setups). I doubt that git really is the right tool for your work,

since

>> > >
>> > > I reproduced the same problem in a regular symlink

directory. Repro steps:

>> > >
>> > > mkdir actualdir
>> > > mklink /d

symdir actualdir

>> > > cd symdir
>> > > git init .
>> > >
>> > > fatal:

Invalid symlink 'D:/gitto': Function not implemented

>> > >
>> > >

Thanks,

>> > >
>> > > Sedat
>> >
>> > Good, then we can determinate that

this is a symlink error, it seams

>> > that readlink() isn't implemented

in the msysgit version of msysgit.

>> >
>> > However msysgit should have

a implementation of readlink() according to:

>> >

http://mingw.5.n7.nabble.com/Replacement-for-readlink-td30679.html [2]

>> >
>> > I've CC:ed the msysgit-maillist so that they can decide if

this is

>> > something they want to address in newer releases.
>> >
>> >

(In the git source code the readlink call in this abspath.c)

>> 
>> --

>> 
>> --
>> *** Please reply-to-all at all times ***
>> *** (do not

pretend to know who is subscribed and who is not) ***

>> *** Please

avoid top-posting. ***

>> The msysGit Wiki is here:

https://github.com/msysgit/msysgit/wiki [3] - Github accounts are free.

>> 
>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the

Google

>> Groups "msysGit" group.
>> To post to this group, send email

to msysgit@googlegroups.com

>> To unsubscribe from this group, send

email to

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>> For more options,

and view previous threads, visit this group at

>>

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>> 
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Links: ------ [1] https://github.com/frogonwheels/git [2] http://mingw.5.n7.nabble.com/Replacement-for-readlink-td30679.html [3] https://github.com/msysgit/msysgit/wiki [4] http://groups.google.com/group/msysgit?hl=en_US?hl=en [5] https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out

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MNGoldenEagle· Sep 8, 2013, 23:40 UTC · re: Michael · lore

Re: Re: git clone doesn't work in symlink dir roots on Windows

Michael,

Well, I know that you need administrative permission to create symbolic links on Windows (specified in the Local Security Policy under "Create symbolic links"), so if you're not running as an administrator, that's probably the issue. The only way around it is to modify the security policy or have Git request admin privileges if it needs to use symlinks.

Jesse

On Tue, Aug 27, 2013 at 7:54 PM, Michael <michael@frog.wheelycreek.net>wrote:

Show 141 quoted lines

> **
>
> I really don't know Jesse,
>
> The permissions issue keeps coming up, but to me it seems a non-issue as
> there is a CLI command to issue the appropriate permissions to a user.  The
> directory link being separate is a painful but known issue, and my solution
> should work in most every-day ways, as long as the symlinks aren't dangling
> within the repository tree itself.
>
> We could possibly limit the types of NTFS symbolic links that would
> actually be embedded in a git database to relative links (or is that done
> already?).  I'm quite happy to have 'That type of NTFS symbolic link is not
> supported' as a valid solution to anything that is outside of simple
> symbolic links.
>
> Currently the biggest thing holding symlinks back from being complete is
> lack of support in MSYS itself - which might be solved by using MSYS2.   I
> have worked around this in the tests by overriding various commands with
> shell functions that implement operations on symlinks via cmd.exe.  The
> only current exception to this is tar, which I can't do much about.
>
> I've just rebased my symlink branch onto pt/tentative-1.8.4 and am chasing
> down test failures.
>
> The tests like to make the symlinks before creating directories, or to
> create dangling symlinks, which doesn't help my cause - but am working
> through it.
>
> //.
>
> On 23.08.2013 12:12, MNGoldenEagle wrote:
>
>  Aside from having to specify whether or not the symbolic link points to
> a file or directory, what are the limitations of symlinks?  I'm a bit
> curious, having used them myself but never encountering any significant
> issues with them.  I remember hearing at one point that Windows Vista could
> only create up to 31 links inside a directory, but I just checked on my
> Windows 7 machine and was able to generate over 600 links to a directory
> without a problem, so I'm guessing Windows 7 worked around this issue.
>
> Jesse
>
>
> On Tue, Aug 20, 2013 at 2:30 AM, Michael Geddes <
> michael@frog.wheelycreek.net> wrote:
>
>> This type of functionality is directly supported by the work I've already
>> done
>> on symlinks here:   https://github.com/frogonwheels/git
>> (branches mrg/symlink-v*  )
>>
>> Even if we agree that symlinks only work to a limited degree, or that
>> there
>> are definite limitations, and that the default should be that symlinks
>> NOT be
>> supported within repositories, I'm not sure why people are against
>> incorporating what I've already implemented.. ok well I guess I do - it's
>> about time.
>>
>> Firstly, at the least it means that symlinks like this example where they
>> are
>> outside the repository are supported.  Secondly it means that people who
>> are
>> prepared to accept the limitations will be able to use (or at least clone)
>> repositories containing symlinks.
>>
>> One of the big, painful limitations is that windoze symlinks need to be
>> marked
>> as directories at the time of creation.  The code I have implemented does
>> it's
>> level best to create the correct type of NTFS symlink based on repository
>> information and falling back on filesystem information.
>>
>> The argument about permissions is only partially valid, since that can be
>> granted as an individual permission to the user without permanent
>> administrator rights.
>>
>> //.ichael G.
>>
>> On Sat, 10 Aug 2013 06:34:59 PM Fredrik Gustafsson wrote:
>> > On Sat, Aug 10, 2013 at 07:22:03PM +0300, Sedat Kapanoglu wrote:
>> > > > git is a disk intense program, so this setup is not sane at all.
>> With
>> > > > that said I know that git on windows historically had problems with
>> > > > working on smb-mounted shares (sometimes you're forced to have
>> stupid
>> > > > setups). I doubt that git really is the right tool for your work,
>> since
>> > >
>> > > I reproduced the same problem in a regular symlink directory. Repro
>> steps:
>> > >
>> > > mkdir actualdir
>> > > mklink /d symdir actualdir
>> > > cd symdir
>> > > git init .
>> > >
>> > > fatal: Invalid symlink 'D:/gitto': Function not implemented
>> > >
>> > > Thanks,
>> > >
>> > > Sedat
>> >
>> > Good, then we can determinate that this is a symlink error, it seams
>> > that readlink() isn't implemented in the msysgit version of msysgit.
>> >
>> > However msysgit should have a implementation of readlink() according to:
>> > http://mingw.5.n7.nabble.com/Replacement-for-readlink-td30679.html
>> >
>> > I've CC:ed the msysgit-maillist so that they can decide if this is
>> > something they want to address in newer releases.
>> >
>> > (In the git source code the readlink call in this abspath.c)
>>
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