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Files.CreateAlias

Creates an alias or link file.

Component Version macOS Windows Linux Server iOS SDK
Files 8.4 ✅ Yes ✅ Yes ❌ No ✅ Yes, on macOS and Windows ✅ Yes
MBS( "Files.CreateAlias"; AliasFilePath; TargetPath { ; RelativeTo or WorkingPath; IconPathAndIndex } )   More

Parameters

Parameter Description Example Flags
AliasFilePath The path for the alias file path. "/Users/cs/Desktop/test"
TargetPath The target path to have the alias point to. "/Users/cs/Desktop"
RelativeTo or WorkingPath The folder path to use relative resolution for Mac or the working directory for Windows. "/Users/cs" Optional
IconPathAndIndex The icon file path to use.
Optionally with an index as second item in a value list.

For Windows must reference an exe, ico, dll or similar file containing resources with icons.

For MacOS a path to an image file where we load image and use it for the icon.		 "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe¶4" Optional

Result

Returns OK or error.

Description

Creates an alias or link file.
If relative path is provided, the alias will include the relative path from that folder to the target item. When resolved later and the full path is invalid, the relative path may find it.

See Files.CreateSymbolicLink for creating symbol links and Files.CreateHardLink for hard links.

Testing in macOS Catalina shows for us, that the icon can be added, but the Finder does not display it.

This function requires a native path. Use Path.FileMakerPathToNativePath to convert a FileMaker path to a native path if required. If you like to have the user choose the path, you can use FileDialog functions.
For Server be aware that server has limited permissions and may not be able to access all files on a computer.

Examples

Create Alias:

MBS( "Files.CreateAlias"; "/Users/cs/Desktop/test"; "/Users/cs/Desktop" )

Creates link files on Windows:

MBS("Files.CreateAlias"; "C:\Users\Christian\Desktop\test.lnk"; "cmd.exe")

Create link for image file:

MBS("Files.CreateAlias"; "C:\Users\Christian\Desktop\test.lnk"; "C:\Users\Christian\Pictures\test.jpg")

Create link file with icon on Windows:

MBS("Files.CreateAlias"; "C:\Users\Christian\Desktop\test.lnk"; "cmd.exe"; ""; "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\firefox.exe¶4")

See also

Release notes

Blog Entries

This function checks for a license.

Created 9th September 2018, last changed 28th September 2020


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