Add support for soft links

README.md

@@ -177,11 +177,12 @@ the following entries:
   * `dotpath`: path to the folder containing the dotfiles to be managed
     by dotdrop (absolute path or relative to the config file location)
 * **dotfiles** entry: a list of dotfiles in the form
-
+  * When `link` is true, dotdrop will create a link instead of copying. Template generation (as in [template](#template)) is not supported when `link` is true.
 ```
   <dotfile-key-name>:
     dst: <where-this-file-is-deployed>
     src: <filename-within-the-dotpath>
+    link: <true|false>  # Optional
 ```
 
 * **profiles** entry: a list of profiles with a sublist

dotdrop/config.py

@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ class Cfg:
             for k, v in self.content[self.key_dotfiles].items():
                 src = v[self.key_dotfiles_src]
                 dst = v[self.key_dotfiles_dst]
-                link = v[self.key_dotfiles_link] if self.key_dotfiles_link in v
+                link = v[self.key_dotfiles_link] if self.key_dotfiles_link \
-                       else False
+                    in v else False
                 self.dotfiles[k] = Dotfile(k, dst, src, link)
         # contains a list of dotfiles defined for each profile
         for k, v in self.profiles.items():

dotdrop/dotdrop.py

@@ -66,6 +66,9 @@ def install(opts, conf):
                      diff=opts['installdiff'])
     installed = []
     for dotfile in dotfiles:
+        if hasattr(dotfile, "link") and dotfile.link:
+            r = inst.link(dotfile.src, dotfile.dst)
+        else:
             r = inst.install(t, opts['profile'], dotfile.src, dotfile.dst)
         installed.extend(r)
     LOG.log('\n%u dotfile(s) installed.' % (len(installed)))

dotdrop/installer.py

@@ -32,6 +32,32 @@ class Installer:
             return self._handle_dir(templater, profile, src, dst)
         return self._handle_file(templater, profile, src, dst)
 
+    def link(self, src, dst):
+        '''Sets src as the link target of dst'''
+        src = os.path.join(self.base, os.path.expanduser(src))
+        dst = os.path.join(self.base, os.path.expanduser(dst))
+        if os.path.exists(dst):
+            if os.path.realpath(dst) == os.path.realpath(src):
+                self.log.sub('ignoring "{}", link exists'.format(dst))
+                return []
+            if self.dry:
+                self.log.dry('would remove {} and link it to {}'
+                             .format(dst, src))
+                return []
+            if self.safe and not self.log.ask('Remove "{}" for link creation?'
+                                              .format(dst)):
+                self.log.warn('ignoring "{}", link was not created'
+                              .format(dst))
+                return []
+            utils.remove(dst)
+        if self.dry:
+            self.log.dry('would link {} to {}'.format(dst, src))
+            return []
+        os.symlink(src, dst)
+        self.log.sub('linked %s to %s' % (dst, src))
+        # Follows original developer's behavior
+        return [(src, dst)]
+
     def _handle_file(self, templater, profile, src, dst):
         '''Install a file using templater for "profile"'''
         content = templater.generate(src, profile)
@@ -47,7 +73,7 @@ class Installer:
             self.log.sub('ignoring \"%s\", same content' % (dst))
             return []
         if ret == 0:
-            if not self.quiet:
+            if not self.quiet and not self.dry:
                 self.log.sub('copied %s to %s' % (src, dst))
             return [(src, dst)]
         return []

dotdrop/utils.py

@@ -6,7 +6,10 @@ utilities
 
 import subprocess
 import tempfile
+import os
 from logger import Logger
+from shutil import rmtree
+
 
 LOG = Logger()
 
@@ -29,3 +32,15 @@ def diff(src, dst, log=False, raw=True):
 
 def get_tmpdir():
     return tempfile.mkdtemp(prefix='dotdrop-')
+
+
+def remove(path):
+    ''' Remove a file / directory / symlink '''
+    if not os.path.exists(path):
+        raise Exception("ERROR in remove: File not found: {}".format(path))
+    if os.path.islink(path) or os.path.isfile(path):
+        os.unlink(path)
+    elif os.path.isdir(path):
+        rmtree(path)
+    else:
+        raise Exception("Unsupported file type for deletion: {}".format(path))