Context dependent symlinks

 
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Operating Systems Linux Slackware Context dependent symlinks
# 1  
Old 05-21-2011
Context dependent symlinks

Ive got multiple PCs, sharing an NFS mounted home dir. For certain apps I would like to keep the config files host specific. Easy solution is to create symlinks to local folders for configs. Ideally I would still want the .config files to reside in the user home folder.

Is it possible to create a symlink with a variable in its name that where the variable is expanded when the link is traversed, rather than when the link is created.

So far my searching has resulted only in some oracle cluster specific solutions. My hosts involved are running a mix of Slackware 12 and 13 x64.

Thanks
# 2  
Old 05-24-2011
Quote:
Originally Posted by agentrnge
Ive got multiple PCs, sharing an NFS mounted home dir. For certain apps I would like to keep the config files host specific. Easy solution is to create symlinks to local folders for configs. Ideally I would still want the .config files to reside in the user home folder.

Is it possible to create a symlink with a variable in its name that where the variable is expanded when the link is traversed, rather than when the link is created.
Very simple answer to that I'm afraid: No. A symlink is not dynamic like that in any way.

Why not just handle the dir in /etc/profile? That's what it's there for.
Code:
if [ -f /path/${to}/file ] 
then
        source /path/${to}/file
else
        source /etc/genericfile
fi

This User Gave Thanks to Corona688 For This Post:
# 3  
Old 05-24-2011
Context dependent symlinks require the support of either the kernel, or the filesystem kernel module. On Linux, as far as I know, only OCFS offers that support.
This User Gave Thanks to pludi For This Post:
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