Is there any way to recover a file that's just an alias? I don't know how it happened, but I only have an alias of an important word document so I can't open it. I also have a zip file, but word won't open it. Is there any way to fix this? Thanks.
@blueblob4 You cannot recover files from alias, but if you have a zip file you still have the original document inside. However, Word does not open them. They need to be opened with winzip, betterzip, rucksack or other apps in mac (or Windows). Cheers, Dirk
That's not a symbolic link, it's an alias! If you really create a symbolic link (which some apps seperate from aliases) you can't move the original file and still expect the symbolic link to know where it is.
@Etabeeta Ok, I know it's not a symlink. I created this video to show Tanenbaum that some kind of links are not attached to the original file location. None of us know how Apple implements this kind of link that know where the original file is.
That is an alias. A mix between a hard link and a symlink. To create a real symlink (that some apps that can't handle aliases can) you can go into Terminal and write ln -s file symlink-filename. Just saying :P for future referece.
Is there any way to recover a file that's just an alias? I don't know how it happened, but I only have an alias of an important word document so I can't open it. I also have a zip file, but word won't open it. Is there any way to fix this? Thanks.
blueblob4 8 months ago
Sorry, but if you deleted the original, the alias won't help at all.
eduardorusso 8 months ago
@blueblob4 You cannot recover files from alias, but if you have a zip file you still have the original document inside. However, Word does not open them. They need to be opened with winzip, betterzip, rucksack or other apps in mac (or Windows). Cheers, Dirk
DMBfoto 1 month ago
That's not a symbolic link, it's an alias! If you really create a symbolic link (which some apps seperate from aliases) you can't move the original file and still expect the symbolic link to know where it is.
Etabeeta 2 years ago
@Etabeeta Ok, I know it's not a symlink. I created this video to show Tanenbaum that some kind of links are not attached to the original file location. None of us know how Apple implements this kind of link that know where the original file is.
eduardorusso 2 years ago
That is an alias. A mix between a hard link and a symlink. To create a real symlink (that some apps that can't handle aliases can) you can go into Terminal and write ln -s file symlink-filename. Just saying :P for future referece.
Etabeeta 2 years ago
I knew that, thanks :P
Actualy, this kind of symlink really is linked to a place. As you move the original file, the symlink lost it's connection to the original file.
eduardorusso 2 years ago
Yes exactly. Which is why aliases are a better practice most of the time, but not always.
Etabeeta 2 years ago