Creating a symbolic link with Java

Question

I'm having trouble creating a symbolic link to a directory in Java. I'm using the createSymbolicLink() method from the Files class: http://docs.oracle.com/javase/7/docs/api/java/nio/file/Files.html

Absolute paths:

Target: /some/path/target
Link: /some/path/xxx/linkname

I would expect that a link in the directory /some/path/xxx/ is created to the folder /some/path/target, but instead a link from /some/path/xxx/linkname to /some/path/xxx/target is created. I just can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

When I create a link from /some/path/linkname to /some/path/target, everything works as expected.

Any help is greatly appreciated.

EDIT: Here's my code:

Path records = Paths.get(Properties.getProperty("records.path"));
Path recordsLink = Paths.get(Properties.getProperty("webserver.root") + System.getProperty("file.separator") + records.getFileName());
try {
    Files.createSymbolicLink(recordsLink, records);
} catch (IOException e) {
    e.printStackTrace();
}

The "records.path" and "webserver.root" are both relative paths.

Actually I just found a solution to the problem: It works if I do this:

records = records.toAbsolutePath();

I assumed the createSymbolicLink() will use absolute paths to create the links, which was wrong.

Please do not edit questions to put answers there. Even if you found the answer to your question yourself do put it in a proper answer. — Michał Politowski
I would have, but with less than 10 reputation, I have to wait 10 hours before I can post an answer to my own question. — omnibrain

omnibrain omnibrain · Accepted Answer · 2014-11-27T18:43:27

I found the solution to the problem: It works if I do this:

records = records.toAbsolutePath();

I assumed createSymbolicLink() will use absolute paths to create the links, which was wrong.

Creating a symbolic link with Java

1 Answers