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139 lines
4.3 KiB
Markdown
139 lines
4.3 KiB
Markdown
# Symlink dotfiles
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Dotdrop offers two ways to symlink a dotfile through its
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config entry `link`:
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* Setting `link: link` for a dotfile will symlink `dst` to `src`
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* Setting `link: link_children` will, for every direct child of `src`, symlink `dst/<childrenX>` to `src/<childrenX>` (See [Link children](#link-children))
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where `src` is the file stored in your *dotpath* and
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`dst` is the file located in your `$HOME`.
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Note that if the dotfile uses template directives, it will be symlinked into
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`~/.config/dotdrop` instead of directly into your *dotpath*
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(see [Templating symlinked dotfiles](#templating-symlinked-dotfiles))
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Although the config entries `link_on_import` and `link_dotfile_default` can be set to the value `link_children`,
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it is not recommended, since operations on a dotfile that is not a directory with the option `link_children`
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will fail.
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## Symlink a dotfile
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Below is an ad-hoc way to symlink a dotfile when [link_dotfile_default](https://dotdrop.readthedocs.io/en/latest/config-format/#config-entry)
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and [link_on_import](https://dotdrop.readthedocs.io/en/latest/config-format/#config-entry) use their default values.
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Import the file:
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```bash
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$ dotdrop import ~/.bashrc
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-> "/home/user/.bashrc" imported
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```
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Edit the `config.yaml` and set the `link` value to `link`:
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```yaml
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dotfiles:
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f_bashrc:
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src: bashrc
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dst: ~/.bashrc
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link: link
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```
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Install the dotfile, which will remove your `~/.bashrc` and replace it with a link to the file stored in dotdrop:
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```bash
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$ dotdrop install
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Remove "/home/user/.bashrc" for link creation? [y/N] ? y
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-> linked /home/user/.bashrc to /home/user/dotdrop/dotfiles/bashrc
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1 dotfile(s) installed.
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```
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The dotfile then points to the file in dotdrop:
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```bash
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$ readlink ~/.bashrc
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/home/user/dotdrop/dotfiles/bashrc
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```
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## Link children
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The `link_children` option can be very useful for dotfiles when you don't want the entire
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directory to be symlinked but still want to keep a clean config file (with a
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limited number of entries).
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Setting this option on a file that is not a directory will make any operation on the dotfile fail.
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*Make sure to do a backup of your dotfiles with something like `cp -r <my-important-dotfile>{,.bak}`.*
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A good example of its use is when managing `~/.vim` with dotdrop.
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Here's what it looks like when using `link: link`:
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```yaml
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config:
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dotpath: dotfiles
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dotfiles:
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vim:
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dst: ~/.vim
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src: vim
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link: link
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```
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The top directory `~/.vim` is symlinked to the `<dotpath>/vim` location:
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```bash
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$ readlink ~/.vim
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~/.dotfiles/vim/
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$ ls ~/.dotfiles/vim/
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after autoload plugged plugin snippets spell swap vimrc
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```
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As a result, all files under `~/.vim` will be managed by
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dotdrop (including unwanted directories like `spell`, `swap`, etc.).
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A cleaner solution is to use `link_children` which allows to only symlink
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files under the dotfile directory. Let's say only `after`, `plugin`, `snippets`, and `vimrc`
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need to be managed in dotdrop. `~/.vim` is imported in dotdrop and cleaned of all unwanted
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files/directories, and then the `link` entry is set to `link_children` in the config file:
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```yaml
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config:
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dotpath: dotfiles
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dotfiles:
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vim:
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dst: ~/.vim/
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src: vim
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link: link_children
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```
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Now all children of the `vim` dotfile's directory in the *dotpath* will be symlinked under `~/.vim/`
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without affecting the rest of the local files, keeping the config file clean
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and all unwanted files only on the local system.
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```bash
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$ readlink -f ~/.vim
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~/.vim
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$ tree -L 1 ~/.vim
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~/.vim
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├── after -> ~/.dotfiles/vim/after
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├── autoload
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├── plugged
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├── plugin -> ~/.dotfiles/vim/plugin
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├── snippets -> ~/.dotfiles/vim/snippets
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├── spell
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├── swap
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└── vimrc -> ~/.dotfiles/vim/vimrc
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```
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## Templating symlinked dotfiles
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Dotfiles not using any templating directives are directly linked
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to dotdrop's `dotpath` directory (see [the config file doc](../config-file.md)).
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When using templating directives, however, the dotfiles are first installed into
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`workdir` (defaults to *~/.config/dotdrop*; see [the doc](../config-config.md))
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and then symlinked there.
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This applies to both dotfiles with `link: link` and `link: link_children`.
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For example:
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```bash
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# with template
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/home/user/.xyz -> /home/user/.config/dotdrop/.xyz
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# without template
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/home/user/.xyz -> /home/user/dotfiles/xyz
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```
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