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Open Symlink Original File

Open Symlink Original File

Unit3dBranch

|
16 installs
| (1) | Free
An extension able to track the original file from the symlink and provide an option to open the original file directly from the navigation menu.
Installation
Launch VS Code Quick Open (Ctrl+P), paste the following command, and press enter.
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Open Symlink Original File

🔗 Developed by Unit3dBranch

Open Symlink Original File is a Visual Studio Code extension that enhances your workflow when working with symbolic links. It adds a navigation menu option to open the real file behind a symlink directly from the editor or explorer — no need to search for the source manually.


✨ Features

  • ✅ Detects when you're working with a symlinked file
  • 🔎 Supports reverse lookup: find symlinks pointing to an original file
  • 🖱️ Context menu options:
    • "Open the Original File" (when opening a symlink)
    • "Find Symlinks to This File" (when viewing an original file)
  • 📌 Available in both the editor title bar and the right-click context menu
  • 🈯 Fully localized (English and Portuguese PT-BR support)
  • 🧪 Includes unit tests and validation
  • ⚙️ Zero dependencies — pure Node.js and VS Code APIs

📦 Installation

  1. Go to the Visual Studio Code Marketplace
  2. Click Install

Or install manually:

code --install-extension Unit3dBranch.open-symlink-original-file

🧠 Usage

  1. To open the original file of a symlink:

    • Right-click inside a symlinked file or on it in the file explorer
    • Select “Open the Original File”
    • The original file will open in a new tab
  2. To find symlinks pointing to a file:

    • Right-click on the original file (non-symlink)
    • Select “Find Symlinks to This File”
    • Choose from a list of matching symlinks to open

📂 Example

If you have:

ln -s /project/src/index.js ./index-link.js

Opening index-link.js and clicking on navigation menu option will let you jump straight to src/index.js.


🛠️ Requirements

  • Visual Studio Code v1.101.0 or newer
  • Files must be valid symbolic links (lstat-detectable)

🧪 Known Limitations

  • Does not follow links to directories (file-based only)
  • Reverse search scans the workspace recursively, so performance may vary in large projects
  • Menu options appear contextually based on whether the selected file is a symlink or not

🤝 Contributing

Feel free to fork, improve, and submit PRs! Bug reports and feature ideas are welcome.

👉 Contribute on GitHub


📜 License

MIT License


Made with ❤️ by Unit3dBranch

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