Search Mac Software Downloads
|
DESCRIPTION
Make Symlink is a Mac OS X-compatible contextual menu plugin which allow users to create unix-styled symbolic links. Symbolic links, known as symlinks, resemble standard Mac OS X's aliases. The system generally treats a symlink as it does with an alias. While aliases do not work with either Mac OS X unix terminal or remote clients, e.g. FTP and Samba, symlinks are still working flawlessly.

However, Mac users must create a symlink through the unfamiliar unix terminal, so making a symlink is nearly impractical. By using the graphic interface of Make Symlink, users can make symlinks to various objects more easily. Destinations folders for created symlinks will appear on hierarchical menus, i.e. entire hard disk will be listed on the menus, and users can browse to any level of the hard disk. It also helps to organize files and perform server maintenance. Make Symlink fully supports unicode texts, so it can list object's names which contain several text encodings, including those for the Asian languages.

WHAT'S NEW
Version 1.1.6: CM module supports both PowerPC and Intel Mac (universal binary).
REQUIREMENTS
Mac OS X 10.3 or later.

Bookmark and Share

SCREENSHOT

Developer:Narattaphol Charoenphandhu
Downloads:5,064
  - Version d/l:2,382
Utilities:Contextual Menus
License:Shareware
Date:15 Apr 2006
Platform:PPC/Intel
Price:$14.00
OTHER PEOPLE SUGGEST
Suggest something else:
Make Symlink User Reviews (12 posts)Write A Review
sort: smiles | time
Aug 10 2006
*****

YEOMANS  Fantastic—works flawlessly, and as a universal binary. Naratt’s apps are the only ones with thorough (and quick!) icon support. I’m a visual person, so the price is worth it.  
(Version 1.1.6)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
Aug 26 2004
*....

DELIAN HAMPSTER  Yup, SymbolicLinker does this for free (and well), according to my experience.

And I agree, charging $12 for a Unix terminal command is TOO much.

Something should put us Mac users apart from Win users, the machines and system we use aside, and charging for something like this isn't exactly it IMHO. So one star...  
(Version 1.1)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
Jul 21 2004

ANONYMOUS  I beleive SymbolicLinker is free.

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/10433

so no need to complain.  
(Version 1.0.9)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
Jun 27 2004

JIMW  Given some of the other comments and the fact that I personally am upset with what has happened here - in my opinion, taking a simple Unix command, packaging it in a GUI, then charging what many feel is an outrageous price for such a simple product and work, which only an uninformed person might be likely to purchase, I have decided to publish and explain the script used for this operation as used in "On My Command" so that other users can get a feel for what this publisher has done.

Here is the "On My Command" script:

ln -s __OBJ_PATH__ __DLG_CHOOSE_FOLDER_PATH__

That's it. Let me explain it.

"ln" is the Unix command "link". It creates a link to a file.

"-s" is a modifier. It tells the command to create a symbolic link.

"__OBJ_PATH" is "On My Command" shorthand for the path of the file that you want to create the link from - the file you have selected.

"__DLG-CHOOSE_FOLDER-PATH__" brings up a dialog box from a system library allowing you to select where you want the link to be placed - the destination of the link.

That is the entire program. All this developer did is essentially package this into a stand-alone contextual menu product that does this single thing for which he want $12. Since he has written other contextual menu products he most likely recycled previously written code for the contextual menu "wrapper" and just substituted the Unix command and a library call similar to what was used in "On My Command."

There is no reason it should not work as advertised and work just fine. I am sure it will save space and do all the things it is purported to do. The only issue is having the audacity to charge such a fee for something so simple that is widely available for free that is already available on everyones machine in "terminal mode" if they care to take a few minutes to learn a simple Unix command:

ln -s existingfile directory

So I have said my piece, you are informed, and free to make your choices.   
(Version 1.0.8)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
Jun 27 2004

JIMW  This also exists for free in "On My Command" as item # 188. and will let you choose the folder in which to place the link when making it.   
(Version 1.0.8)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
Jun 25 2004

ANONYMOUS  Good God, $12 to help you with a symlink?!?!

C'mon! I guess people really DO think Mac users have more money than smarts.

This, Batchmod, and heck there was another really dumb one, why does everyone need to create a GUI that all it does is ONE Unix command?

Please.  
(Version 1.0.8)

praisebury
0
[ 1 Reply - Reply ]
Replies:
Jul 21 2004

ANONYMOUS  BatchMod is free BTW. ... I agree $12 is too much in this case, but even though I operated unix for years (years ago) it is great to be able to use a GUI. The only time the command line is quicker is when you are already inside it and for the vast majority of us that is as little as possible. Unix freaks are great to have around (particularly when they write nice little gui's around the arcane stuff (no, I am not saying symlinks are arcane)) but *don't* come off all high and mighty, belittling the efforts of gui makers. By the time I get the terminal open I could have had it done with a gui and I don't have to remember the command structure (or worse) read the man.  
(Version 1.0.9)

praisebury
0

Jun 25 2004

JIMW  Before spending $12 on this you may want to take a look at SymbolicLinker 1.1v3. It is also on MacUpdate and free. That's what I use.

Also, for Default Folder users, It is possible to create a simple command script using its DFX tool and the free "On My Command" program to replace this authors "Browse Volumes" shareware program.

If I get permission from the author of Default Folder I will post my script to the "On My Command" library *(for free of course) for all to use. Default Folder is primary designed to enhance Open and Save dialogs and is $25.  
(Version 1.0.8)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
Jun 7 2004

ANONYMOUS  So using the terminal is "nearly impractical" for the average user.

Sure, and if you can't row your own boat, I have a bridge I'd like to sell you...  
(Version 1.0.7)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
Nov 23 2003

ANONYMOUS  Yes, Symbolic Links do retain the little black arrow.  
(Version 1.0.2)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
Nov 5 2003
****.

C. SCHOENFELD  Don't underestimate the value of this application, if you use a lot of aliases. A "Mac-style" alias created with the Finder can take up 64 KB of disk space or more. Symlinks don't use more than 4 KB. I have aliases of every application on my hard drive, so I'm saving several MB of disk space by using symlinks.  
(Version 1.0.1)

praisebury
0
[ Reply ]
View all 12 posts >>