Skip to content

New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink should support creating symlinks with relative paths #3500

@mklement0

Description

@mklement0

Being able to create symlinks using relative paths is an important feature that both the ln utility on Unix and cmd's built-in command mklink on Windows support.

Currently, PowerShell invariably resolves the specified path to an absolute path when a symlink is created.
(#801 brought us the ability to create symlinks to non-existing targets, but even they are invariably resolved to an absolute path when the symlink is created).

Instead, the symlink should be defined with the target path exactly as specified.

Steps to reproduce (Unix)

$null = New-Item -ItemType SymbolicLink /tmp/$PID -Target ./foo -Force
readlink /tmp/$PID

Expected behavior

./foo

The symlink should be defined with the target path exactly as specified.

Actual behavior

/Users/jdoe/foo

The symlink was unexpectedly defined with an absolute path.

Environment data

PowerShell Core v6.0.0-alpha (v6.0.0-alpha.17) on Darwin Kernel Version 16.5.0: Fri Mar  3 16:52:33 PST 2017; root:xnu-3789.51.2~3/RELEASE_X86_64

Metadata

Metadata

Assignees

Labels

Issue-Discussionthe issue may not have a clear classification yet. The issue may generate an RFC or may be reclassifWG-Engine-Providersbuilt-in PowerShell providers such as FileSystem, Certificates, Registry, etc.

Type

No type

Projects

No projects

Milestone

No milestone

Relationships

None yet

Development

No branches or pull requests

Issue actions