IDEA - transparent symlinks

TotalFinder
1

The feature I would like to see implemented is the following:
Finder should behave with symbolic links
(especially directory links) more like a traditional linux system or
like the Terminal:

$ cd path/symlink_to_dir

$ pwd
path/symlink_to_dir

So in Finder a linked dir should be expandable with the little arrow,
and when navigating into it via CMD+down, the path should NOT switch to
the original but keep the symlink_dir_name in the path list at the bottom.
Navigating back via CMD+up should show up the parent of the symlink and
not the parent of the target dir.

Of course implementing this feature as an opt-in option would be fine.

When thinking about symlinked files, the Idea gets a bit complicated: Some questions could be:

  1. How should “Quick Look” work on symlinks
  2. How should “Show Info” work on symlinks
  3. Opening a File and editing it should modify the target and not remove the symlink.

Best Regards
Marc

2

I got it, but I’m afraid this would be too much work for the benefit of just a few users. Frankly, I don’t hear Finder users complaining about symlinks :wink:

3

Actually I would like to have Apple implement this OS wide. But I really do not know how to push them into that direction.

Marc