Link Nto1

Creates hard or symbolic links inside the destination directory to every file from the source directories.

This can be useful when you want to specify multiple folders to be consumed by a program, but the program only allows selecting a single folder and it doesn't iterate through its sub-directories (e.g. "Windows 10 Desktop Slideshow"). This way you are able to quickly reconfigure the set of folders that will be consumed.

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Installation

Install-Script -Name link_Nto1

How to use it

link_Nto1.ps1 [-dst] <String> [-srcs] <String[]> [[-ItemType] <String>]

Basic example

Create hard links in dst_dir to every file from src_dir1 and src_dir2:

  working_dir/
  ├─ link_Nto1.ps1
  │
  ├─ src_dir1/
  │  ├─ file11.ext
  │  └─ file12.ext
  │
  ├─ src_dir2/
  │  ├─ file21.ext
  │  └─ file22.ext
  │
  └─ dst_dir/

PS> ./link_Nto1.ps1 dst_dir src_dir1,src_dir2

  working_dir/
  │ ...
  │
  └─ dst_dir/
+   ├─ file11.ext (hard link)
+   ├─ file12.ext (hard link)
+   ├─ file21.ext (hard link)
+   └─ file22.ext (hard link)

Select link type example

Available options: HardLink and SymbolicLink

Create symbolic links inside dst_dir to every file from src_dir:

  working_dir/
  ├─ link_Nto1.ps1
  │
  ├─ src_dir/
  │  ├─ file1.ext
  │  └─ file2.ext
  │
  └─ dst_dir/

PS> ./link_Nto1.ps1 -dst dst_dir -srcs src_dir -ItemType SymbolicLink

  working_dir/
  │ ...
  │
  └─ dst_dir/
+   ├─ file1.ext (sym link to ../src_dir/file1.ext)
+   └─ file2.ext (sym link to ../src_dir/file2.ext)

Windows 10 Desktop Slideshow example

  slideshow/
  ├─ link_Nto1.ps1
  │
  ├─ beach/
  │  ├─ beach.jpg
  │  └─ water.jpg
  │
  ├─ electronics/
  │  ├─ ic.jpg
  │  ├─ rpi4b.png
  │  └─ sd card.jpg
  │
  ├─ nature/
  │  ├─ clouds.jpg
  │  └─ mountain.jpg
  │
  └─ _target/

Create hard links in folder _target to the files in folders beach and nature:

PS> ./link_Nto1.ps1 -dst _target -srcs beach,nature

  slideshow/
  | ...
  │
  └─ _target/
+   ├─ beach.jpg
+   ├─ water.jpg
+   ├─ clouds.jpg
+   └─ mountain.jpg

Change the hard links to the files from folders beach and electronics:

PS> ./link_Nto1.ps1 -dst _target -srcs beach,electronics

  slideshow/
  | ...
  │
  └─ _target/
    ├─ beach.jpg
    ├─ water.jpg
-   ├─ clouds.jpg
-   ├─ mountain.jpg
+   ├─ ic.jpg
+   ├─ rpi4b.png
+   └─ sd card.jpg

How to create a parameterized, runnable shortcut

• create the shortcut
• in Properties:
  • in field Target:
    • prepend "powershell" before "\path\link_Nto1.ps1"
    • append the desired arguments after "\path\link_Nto1.ps1"
• set field Start in according to the location of the specified folders