System.IO Symbolic Link work planned for .NET 7

[adamsitnik]

This issue captures the planned work for .NET 7. This list is expected to change throughout the release cycle according to ongoing planning and discussions, with possible additions and subtractions to the scope.

Summary

We introduced new features for symbolic links in .NET 6 (#51605). We will deliver further capabilities and enhancements for symbolic links during .NET 7.

Planned for .NET 7

• broken symlinks and non-executable files not ignored in FindProgramInPath() #29940
• Cannot change LastWriteTime or LastAccessTime of a symlink #38824
• Creating symbolic links without developer mode or elevation fails silently #62975

Backlog (roughly in priority order)

• API Proposal: tell if a filesystem entry is any type of link #53577
• Allow opting out of following directory links (reparse points / symlinks) during recursive file-system enumerations #52666
• System.IO: Allow recursive file system enumeration to continue when directory link's target does not exist #58612
• FileInfo/DirectoryInfo: enable transparent handling of symbolic links #52908
• Expose reparse point tags #1908
• Mac SDK: DirectoryInfo.EnumerateDirectories and DirectoryInfo.EnumerateFiles Method does not handle symbolic link very well #34363
• NTFS volume on Linux - junction does not work properly #20874

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Issue Details

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Proposed priorities for the issues we currently have open in the symlinks project.

For items completed as part of .NET 6 please refer to #51605

P1

• Cannot change LastWriteTime or LastAccessTime of a symlink #38824 Cannot change LastWriteTime or LastAccessTime of a symlink - PR 1 (OSX) and PR 2 (Windows)
• Allow opting out of following directory links (reparse points / symlinks) during recursive file-system enumerations #52666 Allow opting out of following directory links (reparse points / symlinks) during recursive file-system enumerations (new property)
• FileInfo/DirectoryInfo: enable transparent handling of symbolic links #52908 FileInfo/DirectoryInfo: enable transparent handling of symbolic links (new constructor parameter)
• API Proposal: tell if a filesystem entry is any type of link #53577 API Proposal: tell if a filesystem entry is any type of link (IsLink property)
• Expose reparse point tags #1908 Expose reparse point tags
• Canonical paths / real file casing / real path (could be addressed all together):
  • Proposed API for canonical paths #23871 APIs for canonical paths
  • Add API to get actual file casing in path #14321 APIs to get actual file casing in path
  • Request: a way to tell if two filepaths point to the same file #17873 APIs to tell if two filepaths point to the same file

P2

• Mac SDK: DirectoryInfo.EnumerateDirectories and DirectoryInfo.EnumerateFiles Method does not handle symbolic link very well #34363 OSX: DirectoryInfo.Enumerate* methods do not handle symbolic link correctly
• NTFS volume on Linux - junction does not work properly #20874 Linux: Junctions do not work on properly on NTFS volumes
• broken symlinks and non-executable files not ignored in FindProgramInPath() #29940 Unix: Broken symlinks and non-executable files not ignored in FindProgramInPath (Process.Start)

Author:	adamsitnik
Assignees:	jeffhandley, carlossanlop, adamsitnik, Jozkee
Labels:	area-System.IO, Bottom Up Work, Team:Libraries
Milestone:	7.0.0