Option to use copies of input files rather than symlinks in genrule, sh_test, etc

[njlr]

Description of the feature request:

Some tools (such as Docker) work differently when a file is symlink rather than just the file.

Bazel creates symlinks as an optimization, but sometimes this changes the behaviour of the rule.

Bazel should provide the option to disable symlinks and copy the files on a rule-basis.

sh_test(
  name = "test",
  srcs = [ "test.sh" ],
  args = [
    "$(location :docker-compose.yaml)",
  ],
  data = [
    "docker-compose.yaml",
  ],
  # Input files will be copied into the sandbox rather than placed as symlinks
  disable_sandbox_symlinks = True, # Defaults to false, so this is a non-breaking change
)

What underlying problem are you trying to solve with this feature?

Make it easier to work with tools from Bazel.

Which operating system are you running Bazel on?

Linux

What is the output of bazel info release?

release 5.4.0

If bazel info release returns development version or (@non-git), tell us how you built Bazel.

No response

What's the output of git remote get-url origin; git rev-parse master; git rev-parse HEAD ?

N/A

Have you found anything relevant by searching the web?

Maybe related: #4320

Any other information, logs, or outputs that you want to share?

No response

[tjgq]

FYI, there's also a sandbox implementation based on hardlinks (which uses hardlinks when on the same fs, and makes a copy otherwise). You can enable it with --experimental_use_hermetic_linux_sandbox, but note the caveat in #18377. But you can only set it for the entire invocation, not for individual actions.

[github-actions]

Thank you for contributing to the Bazel repository! This issue has been marked as stale since it has not had any activity in the last 1+ years. It will be closed in the next 90 days unless any other activity occurs. If you think this issue is still relevant and should stay open, please post any comment here and the issue will no longer be marked as stale.

[njlr]

Thank you for contributing to the Bazel repository! This issue has been marked as stale since it has not had any activity in the last 1+ years. It will be closed in the next 90 days unless any other activity occurs. If you think this issue is still relevant and should stay open, please post any comment here and the issue will no longer be marked as stale.

Still relevant