Re: [OT] Git plus Syncthing: breaking hard links

[Nick Dokos <ndokos@gmail.com>]

Eric Abrahamsen <eric@ericabrahamsen.net> writes:

> This isn't really a Org question at all, but you all are smart and
> friendly people, and are likely to have run into this situation before.
> So I'm trying here before I turn to StackOverflow!
>
> I have Org files in a git repo, synced across two Linux machines. At the
> same time, I have a few directories on these computers that I sync with
> colleagues, via Syncthing.
>
> One of these colleagues also uses Org, so instead of giving her access
> to my Org git repo, which would be a bit too much exposure, I hardlink
> some of the Org files into the Syncthing directories, and she accesses
> them there. With auto-revert-mode turned on, it's not too bad.
>
> Except that the hardlinks keep breaking! There are so many different
> systems interacting here that I have no idea where to even start
> looking. She's on a Mac, not Linux, and uses a fairly recent version of
> Emacs, plus Org from the ELPA package. She is *not* using git on her
> machine, just Syncthing and Emacs.
>

How do the hardlinks break exactly?

Hardlinks to a file are limited to the same filesystem: a file with
inode number N has essentially two or more directory entries, with
different names associated to the same inode number. Syncthing certainly
cannot maintain that as it copies the file to the cloud and back, so
there seem to be plenty of opportunities for breakage, but it's not
clear which one(s) obtain.

> I'm inclined to blame Syncthing, but I really don't know where to start
> debugging. If any of you have any relevant experience, or any advice
> about where to look, that would be much appreciated. Otherwise, please
> excuse the off-topic post...
>

-- 
Nick