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Using MKLink Commands to Manage Symbolic Links in CMD.exeįirst, by default you'll need administrative privileges to utilize the MKLink tool in the Command Prompt. Symbolic links differ from conventional shortcuts in that they appear to be typical files/folders to both humans and apps – developers and techies can use symbolic links to change the way their applications behave in regard to utilizing specific files and folders. Symbolic linking with the MKLink tool is particularly useful when you're repeatedly accessing files/folders with lengthy file paths.įor example, you could create a shortcut to a deeply archived folder by adding a succinct symbolic link file to your desktop, thereby ensuring much quicker and more convenient access, especially when compared to having to repeatedly re-navigate to a complicated file path. In other words, you click on File1.exe, but File2.exe launches instead.
Symbolic linker vs symlinker code#
In Windows Vista, 7 and 8 there is a more advanced way to create and manage shortcuts using a command line tool known as MKLink.With MKLink you can type a single line of code into the Command Prompt and create three different kinds of shortcuts – Hard Links, Directory Junctions, and Symbolic Links – the latter of which we'll be covering below:Ī symbolic link is a type of shortcut in which one object (i.e.- file or folder) points to another object within the file-system. When used properly, well-structured shortcuts can save a tremendous amount of time and navigational frustration. Most programs automatically create a shortcut on the Desktop upon being installed. If you've used any version of Windows more than a few times, then you've probably already encountered shortcuts – icons/symbols that represent a file or folder located elsewhere on the hard drive. Whether you're a casual Windows user or a busy app developer, one of the most essential aspects of improving productivity and organization within an operating system is to give yourself (or the apps you're developing) easy access to the appropriate files/folders and their associated file paths.