Dealing with symlinks

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MBaas
Posts: 572
Joined: 15 Feb 2016 21:08

Dealing with symlinks

Post by MBaas »

I'm not sure if I am missing a feature (though I RTFM'ed) or if what I'm asking is impossible or if it has not been implemented: I installed some software from the Microsoft Store - and that created a folder for the app in C:\Users\{me}\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\ which contains a .exe with 0 bytes and Type "Application (symlink)".

How can I find out the location this symlink links to?
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jupe
Posts: 2757
Joined: 20 Oct 2017 21:14
Location: Win10 22H2 120dpi

Re: Dealing with symlinks

Post by jupe »

Info panel Meta tab, Ctrl+3 by default.

MBaas
Posts: 572
Joined: 15 Feb 2016 21:08

Re: Dealing with symlinks

Post by MBaas »

Thanks - but that's not it.
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Wouldn't it be nice if we had a scripting command that would give the target of symlinks (or junctions or even simple .lnk etc.)= ;)
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jupe
Posts: 2757
Joined: 20 Oct 2017 21:14
Location: Win10 22H2 120dpi

Re: Dealing with symlinks

Post by jupe »

Those aren't normal symlinks then, and there is plenty scripting commands to deal with normal symlink/junction/link targets, so not sure what you are talking about there, and what I suggested originally would work for normal symlinks.

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MBaas
Posts: 572
Joined: 15 Feb 2016 21:08

Re: Dealing with symlinks

Post by MBaas »

Hmm, according to the properties tab it is a symlink:
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I admittedly don't know much about these, so I can't judge if it is normal or not. But there clearly is something magical about it - coz' it launches the app when I dbl-click that empty file.

So if you suggest there are plenty commands, could you pls. recommend one that would reveal the target of symlink (or goto it)?
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jupe
Posts: 2757
Joined: 20 Oct 2017 21:14
Location: Win10 22H2 120dpi

Re: Dealing with symlinks

Post by jupe »

It is probably just being identified as a symlink because it has the L attribute, but who knows what Microsoft does behind the scenes with that UWP stuff. For a normal symlink, for exampleecho <prop LinkTarget>; and you can use the property() cmd to lookup junction/symlinks targets etc.

MBaas
Posts: 572
Joined: 15 Feb 2016 21:08

Re: Dealing with symlinks

Post by MBaas »

Thanks! I tried echo <prop LinkTarget>; which gave an empty msg and text property("#ResolveJunctionsAll", "C:\Users\mbaas\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\MartinPikryl.WinSCP_tvv458r3h9r5m\WinSCP.exe"); just echos the filename.

So I went ahead and tried the LinkShell Extension and it can't deal with that file, too.

Bloody Microsoft, not playing by the rules, it seems.
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Horst
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Re: Dealing with symlinks

Post by Horst »

In Total Commander there is a plugin which shows all type of links and their target.
For this case the object Type is identified as "Other MS" and the funny fact is that the target is the path to the 0 byte exe.
C:\Users\myname\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\name-of_the_exe
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MBaas
Posts: 572
Joined: 15 Feb 2016 21:08

Re: Dealing with symlinks

Post by MBaas »

Ok, I guess I have the answer: it' an "App execution Alias"! (see here)
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