Desktop

HomeSystem UtilitiesFile ManagementSymbolicLinker

SymbolicLinker2.1.1

Name: SymbolicLinker
Rating: 4.4359 (14 reviews)

28 January 2017

Contextual menu creates symbolic links in Finder.

Follow this app Developer website

Overview

SymbolicLinker is a tiny service that, once installed, allows any user to create symbolic links to files inside the Finder. It does this by adding a contextual-menu item to the Finder that generates symbolic links to the selected files. The goal of this product is to decrease users' trips to the Terminal in order to use the "ln -s" command.

What's new in SymbolicLinker

Version 2.1.1:

Fixed a bug where, if the service had to make the link on the desktop, or if a file system error occurred, the service would get stuck in a loop.

Join over 500,000 subscribers.

Subscribe for our newsletter with best Mac offers from MacUpdate.

48 Reviews of SymbolicLinker

apostolos-s

30 September 2018

Version: 2.1.1

Most helpful

Doesn’t work in High Sierra. I cannot get it to work manually either, with Terminal... Really need it to work, please tell me what you did if somebody managed to get it working! I have it in a Services folder in Library, no prompts. It just acts like it’s opening, like rythmkpr stated.

(1)

Absolutely love it. Saw it used on a YouTube talking about relocating sounds and loops from Apple's Logic Pro - moved 64 gb from my 256gb Mac Mini to a 4 tb external drive, with no trouble at all. Download and installation were a breeze, and if you know what you want to do with it, it's totally easy to use. As I understand it, it's a better process for setting up and managing aliases than in Apple's own OS. Maybe so, maybe not. But it's all I'm going to be using for now on for this type of job. It just works. 2019 Mac Mini, 256 gb, 8 gb RAM, Mojave 10.14.6.

(1)

apostolos-s

30 September 2018

Version: 2.1.1

(1)

Show comment (1)

this is not working in High sierra. I put app in a new folder named services in main library and when I double click it it acts like it opens but nothing happens. I can't seem to find it.

(1)

Show comments (2)

rfabianni

14 October 2017

Version: 2.1.1

I'm using Sierra 10.12.6 and after following the install instructions the symbolic links don't work. Any ideas?

(1)

Show comment (1)

I've been using SymbolicLinker for years, maybe since it first appeared (before 10.6, anyway). I'm not a Unix geek, but prefer symbolic links for their spatial economy – they're only a few K in size (actually only a few bytes, but take up the minimum 4K file size in the file system), while standard MacOS aliases always include a copy of the original's icon (even with folders), making them over a megabyte in size. Aliases are more robust, usually remembering the link even if the original is moved, but I find symbolic links work fine in most cases. So, thanks for the Service, and for the update – I spent a couple hours last night struggling with some 8,400 symbolic links on the Desktop, and was nervous about using SymbolicLinker again, so came here and found there was an update to address just that problem. Don't know why it happened then, as I've been using v.2.1 just fine for several months. Anyway, works fine again now, in El Capitan 10.11.6.

(0)

Show comment (1)

David-Losada-Soler

30 January 2017

Version: 2.1.1

Doesn't show in the services submenu. El Capitán 10.11.6.

(0)

Show comment (1)

I've been using SymbolicLinker since the early days of OS X and I consider it to be one of the most critical additions to the Mac OS. I use SymbolicLinker for the reasons stated in the first paragraph of Installation Instructions.

SymbolicLinker 2.1.1 works perfectly for me in OS 10.12.2. I was previously using version 2.0v3 but the Sierra update caused it to stop working. (It might have been as simple as opening the service from the Finder to authenticate, but I updated to 2.1.1 instead of doing that.) Following the installation instructions document was very simple. I also learned to go into the Keyboard system preferences pane Shortcuts menu > Services to deselect all the services I never use. Cudos for that tip!

Deepest thanks to Nick for keeping this project alive through the years, and for keeping SymbolicLinker free! This is an example of the Mac community at its finest.

(1)

Was wary after reading previous reviews to use with Sierra, but version 2.1 is working perfect for me in macOS Sierra 10.12.1 just as it used to do in older OS versions for me (10.9.x, etc.). I didn't use this running 10.11.x or 10.10.x, so YMMV with that particular older OS, I dunno. Anyway.... Nice, quick way to create symbolic links with a simple right-click and/or keyboard shortcut on a file instead of pulling up Terminal, etc. -- Works with LaunchBar, etc. as well since it can pull up Services within the macOS as well and apply them to selected files, folders, etc. I often use symlinks to enable various custom hacks I've made to macOS, etc. and this is much quicker than using Terminal directly each and every time. If you need symlinks, you know who you are. Otherwise, stick with aliases.

(0)

I've used this often in the past; and just downloaded v2.1. Unfortunately, I just had the same problem as artie505 - on running SymbolicLinker, I got 3000+ links created on my desktop.. I'm also running 10.11.6. I had to relaunch Finder to get it to stop; and I'm now having trouble moving all the multiple duplicated links to the trash.

(1)

Show comment (1)

artie505

12 October 2016

Version: 2.1

I'm not gonna pan SL yet, because I'm not sure that what happened isn't my fault, although I can't see how it is. I installed it in /Library/Services and launched it as per instructions, but the two times I clicked on "Make Symbolic Link" in my services menu (El Cap 10.11.6) it covered my desktop with upwards of 5,000 links. I had to boot into a clone to get rid of them. Huh?

(1)

Kennett

10 July 2016

Version: 2.1

Is anyone seeing SymbolicLinker in their Finder Services menu? I can't get SymbolicLinker to show up in the Finder Services menu, but the keyboard shortcut I enabled works just fine.

(0)

Thinking-Differently

24 June 2016

Version: 2.1

I have not yet used this enough to leave a proper review. However it does seem to work. The functionality is basic. There are two variations or enhancements which are obvious. Relative Links There are time when it is desireable to create relative links. A tool to do that would be welcome. Hard Links There are times when it is desirable to crate hard links. A tool to do that would also be welcome.

(0)

Not working on El Capitan.

(0)

Show comments (3)

Absolutely great

(0)

Show comment (1)

grawlcore

14 December 2015

Version: 2.0v3

If you want to get it but stuck on 404 error on author's website (like me), here it is: http://ge.tt/1nLqxdT2/v/0?c

(1)

Show comments (2)

If anyone has trouble making this work -- you can just create an automator action to run the command-line to produce a Symbolic Link and put in in the ~/Library/Services folder. Instructions are here; http://tewha.net/2012/07/make-a-symbolic-link-from-finder/

(1)

Andrewrodney

04 February 2015

Version: 2.0v3

Can anyone get this to run under 10.10?

(0)

Show comments (2)

Works as intended. easier than using the terminal or another expensive application such as Path Finder. Glad it still work sfor mavericks 10.9.1.

(1)

pprofpopp

15 January 2014

Version: 2.0v3

does this version work with OSX Maverick?? Thanks

(0)

Show comments (2)

does exactly what it says; allows me to add symlinks from important docs to a dropbox folder without 'obeying dropbox architecture', for instance… (OTOH OwnCloud does not resolves symlinks, alas) Works perfectly on OSX 10.8 and also can be installed 'just for this user' inside the user's Library's Services folder.

(1)

I would love to use/review that plugin, but the download seems dead !

(0)

Show comment (1)

Still works like a charm under ML 10.8.2! Even more useful given the egregious Alias bloat resulting from Retina Icons! Three things to remember: 1) Use the Service module for Lion and Mountain Lion. 2) Get Info reports 2.0v2, but it is 2.0v3. You have to edit the .lproj file of your choice to fix this, if you want to bother. 3) Never move the original!

(2)

Works fine with 10.8. Developer however forgot 1 instruction: First install the service in the Lib an then rightclick on 'SymbolicLinker.Service' and tell OSX it is allowed to open this.

(0)

Show comment (1)

anonymous-dingo-653

13 November 2012

Version: 2.0v3

Still no joy using symlinks to an external drive, so without that, doesn't do much for me. Symlinking to a hard location on the main drive still means that same amount of storage is used on that drive. Not a fault of this script/program, but something others should be aware of before they think this will (always) save space on the main internal drive. And I've had the same problem on three 10.6 machines through out the household network.

(0)

Show comments (2)

RogerKatz

04 October 2012

Version: 2.0v3

The download link gives the Service & Plug-in versions 2 (from June 2011) - but NOT the v3 it offers.

(0)

Perfect example of doing one thing and doing it well. Why the Finder does not include this as part of an alias is anyone's guess. The unfortunate part is that an Alias is so much more robust yet the OS is so tied to symbolic links ti cannot use Aliases most of the time. Apple should fix this and make Symbolic Links work as transparently and robustly as aliases. Until then, we have SymbolicLinker (thanks!!)

(3)

I don't bother with aliases ever now that I use symbolic linker...it's a smart way to fool an app as to where it is looking for its support data, thus keeping the boot drive from getting filled up!

(1)

anonymous-dingo-653

25 July 2012

Version: 2.0v3

So far, I have not gotten this to work with DropBox in creating symlinks to put in the DB folder and avoid loading up my main drive with files to sync. (I prefer such stuff be stored on my portable.) No matter what I do, no symblink from this app with dropped into the DropBox folder causes the linked folder and its files to sync with my DropBox account. Any suggestions or hints, anyone?

(1)

Show comments (3)

Cowicide

13 January 2012

Version: 2.0v3

Does this still work in Lion?

(0)

Show comment (1)

Great plug-in for creating symbolic links. I used to use Terminal to create symbolic links... this makes it so much easier. The only other feature I would wish for is for it to be able to create the link where I intend to place it. Right now, the link is created in the same location as the original, making it necessary to move it afterwards. In addition to the contextual menu command, it can also show up under Finder Services.

(0)

Outstanding way to make symbolic links to individual files. Will not show as an option for a folder.

(0)

Show comment (1)

SymbolicLinker is the easiest and best way to make SymLinks in OS X. The best thing is that it is free. I discovered it some years ago and I'm glad to see that it is now on MacUpdate were many people can find it. Symbolic Links are the key to power up your Dropbox or other Cloud based services.

(0)

Doesn't work with Snow Leopard. Apparently no contextual menu item support for 64 bit apps in SL (including Finder), even if the CM item is 64 bit. Yikes!

(1)

Show comment (1)

for some reason, every time i use symboliclinker to create a symlink and then try to move the symlink to a new location i get a "you do not have sufficient priveleges error..." however if i 'get info' on the symlink first [which always shows i *do* have sufficient priveleges] then close the get info window and move the symlink, it works fine. most peculiar!

(0)

VERY GOOD and FREE. And yes, this (like so many other things) should be part of Mac OS X (aliases in OS X are not 4K files and end up eating megas if you make a heavy use of them. Symbolic Links take up 4Ks like the old aliases in 9.x and prior). Thanks to the developer. Good job!

(1)

Show comment (1)

Great tool - simple and effective. I can't understand why Apple does not include this functionality in the finder themselves

(1)

Ths CMM does exactly what it says it will do, quickly and elegantly, is extremely easy to use, is free and has worked correctly on several of my Macs on OS 10.1.5 to 10.2.8. Thus five stars all categories.

(1)