Magic symlink syntax

[Root Boy Jim]

? From: David Elliott <dce at mips.com>

? We are in the process of considering a system modification that systems
? folks lovingly refer to as the "nami hack" (or "namei hack" for BSD folks).
? This is the modification that allows one to put a variable inside of
? a symbolic link target so that people can choose default execution
? "universes" or "modes" or "system types".

? I believe that the Apollo Domain/IX syntax was '($name)' or '$(name)'.
? I'd like to get a list of those currently available, as well as the
? pros and cons of each syntax.
? 
? Also, if other people have come up with functionally similar systems
? that use a different mechanism, I'd like to hear about those as well.

Sequent and Pyramid have `conditional symbolic links'. While not as
general as the scheme you describe, they look like:

   2 lrwxr-xr-x  1 root     wheel           4 Jan 11 16:10 /bin -> ucb=.bin att=/usr/att/bin

and are made like:

LN(1)               DYNIX Programmer's Manual               LN(1)

NAME
     ln - make links

SYNOPSIS
     ln [ -s ] name1 [ name2 ]
     ln [ -s ] name ... directory
     ln [ -f ] name ... directory
     ln -c att=name1 ucb=name2 name3

DESCRIPTION

     ...

     The -c option causes ln to create symbolic links.  The
     values for the conditional symbolic link must be given,
     preceded by the corresponding universe identifier (`att=' or
     `ucb=').  The values may be given in either order.

Hope this helps. I see no reason why the names should be restricted to
`ucb' and `att'. Of course then wd'd need a `default=' clause or return
an untranslatable error or use the first as a default.

? David Elliott		dce at mips.com  or  {ames,prls,pyramid,decwrl}!mips!dce
 
	(Root Boy) Jim Cottrell	<rbj at icst-cmr.arpa>
	National Bureau of Standards
	Flamer's Hotline: (301) 975-5688
	The opinions expressed are solely my own
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