Symbolic Link - which Files/Directories?

[Aradar]

I'm trying to switch to this and have seen that most of you link the data files but what other files/directories should I be linking?

I'm trying to set up 3 installs, one for if I play non boxed because I can max out the settings though I never really play that way anymore. In this install I have already linked the "account\xxxxx\savedvariables" directories to my account directory with my bank mule because it does the auctioneer scans. That way I can see the results across all account directories. My second install will be my main and my third install will be my clones. So this leaves the Cache, Errors, Interface, Logs, WTF folder and any possible individual files in the main directory. Interface seems a no brainer that it should be linked and again I want to share the auctioneer information but not sure if I should link the entire WTF directory, the Account Directory, the XXXXX Directory or just go with the SavedVariables account again?

Ultimately I'm expecting differant video settings between the main and the clones as well as differant UI settings and I don't want to have to mess with them everytime I log on. Also keep in mind one of the clones is resto specced so it can't share everything with the other 3 such as macros.

Thanks in advance for any possible guidance.

[Chrysanthe]

Well, the only folders I am symlinking are the Data, Interface, Screenshots and the WTF folders, so everyone can have their own configuration.

The Data, Interface and Screenshots folders are on my file server and every client shares those folders. As for the WTF, I created a folder called D:\Games\WoWData\[ToonName] so every toon has their own individual setup.
Well, I actually don't recommend sharing any folder inside the Account folder, because, once you leave WoW, it saves every variable to the SavedVariables files and if more than one client is accessing those .lua files, they might get corrupted and you'd lose information. So I suggest creating either a share folder, where every Account folder resides in or just keep the WTF folders unshared...

Example:


Directory of D:\Games\WoWData

07/15/2008 05:20 PM <DIR> Gleda


Every WoW client looks just like this:


Directory of D:\Games\Gleda

05/04/2008 05:40 PM <DIR> Cache
06/09/2008 10:40 PM <SYMLINKD> Data [\\Server\sda\Games\WoWData\Data\]
07/05/2008 04:11 PM <DIR> Errors
06/09/2008 10:41 PM <SYMLINKD> Interface [\\Server\sda\Games\WoWData\Interface\]
07/15/2008 04:57 PM <DIR> Logs
06/09/2008 10:41 PM <SYMLINKD> Screenshots [\\Server\sda\Games\WoWData\Screenshots\]
06/17/2008 12:52 PM <DIR> WDB
05/31/2008 09:46 PM <SYMLINKD> WTF [D:\Games\WoWData\Gleda\]
07/15/2008 04:56 PM 1,069,712 BackgroundDownloader.exe
04/01/2008 10:34 PM 30,923 Burning Crusade Install Log.html
04/02/2008 01:02 AM 1,039,728 dbghelp.dll
04/01/2008 10:23 PM 413,696 DivxDecoder.dll
04/01/2008 10:32 PM 372,736 ijl15.dll
07/15/2008 04:56 PM 1,753,744 Launcher.exe
07/15/2008 04:56 PM 43,208 Patch.html
07/15/2008 04:56 PM 804,802 Patch.txt
07/15/2008 04:56 PM 88 realmlist.wtf
07/15/2008 04:56 PM 881,296 Repair.exe
07/15/2008 04:56 PM 42,244 Scan.dll
04/01/2008 10:23 PM 245,408 unicows.dll
04/01/2008 10:13 PM 13,680 World of Warcraft Install Log.html
07/15/2008 04:56 PM 8,272,528 Wow.exe
04/01/2008 10:36 PM 1,033,022 WoW-2.4.0-enUS-downloader.exe
04/02/2008 01:02 AM 968,606,383 WoW-2.4.0-enUS-patch.exe




Directory of S:\Games\WoWData

06/09/2008 11:12 PM <DIR> AllAccounts
06/09/2008 10:57 PM <DIR> Chrysanthe
07/15/2008 04:57 PM <DIR> Data
06/09/2008 10:52 PM <DIR> FullInterface
06/09/2008 10:58 PM <DIR> Gleda
06/23/2008 06:19 PM <DIR> Interface
06/09/2008 10:59 PM <DIR> Nealie
06/09/2008 10:58 PM <DIR> Pruedence
07/16/2008 07:51 PM <DIR> Screenshots
06/09/2008 10:58 PM <DIR> Zarryiosiad


Inside the AllAccounts and FullInterface folders I keep all the data for singl-boxing. However, both folders have outdated data inside, since I haven't been single-boxing in ages :P

(S:\ is my file Server)

..hope that helps you deciding a little :D

[Aradar]

Well that confirms the Data and Interface folder for me but why the setup for the WTF folder, ultimately you still have separate folders for this so why not just leave them in the defualt location. I'm not savvy to programming much less DOS commands so forgive me if I'm missing something.

If I'm correct, how are you sharing say auctioneer scan data across toons. For that matter, should I just share the file instead of the folder.

Thanks.

[Simulacra]

Good question. I haven't an answer though lol.
My setup is
drive c: Pally install and Warlock install - as I play them solo here and there
drive e:1 install for 2 mages and 1 priest as I never play them solo

Last night I junctioned just the data folder on the Pally and lock to the alt folder on drive e:
The performance was pretty good, much better than running 3 different data directories, however I would like to know if there's any benefit performance wise with linking other dirs.

[Goat666]

i have been using :


mklink /d Data "C:\Multi\War\Data"
mklink /d Cache "C:\Multi\War\Cache"

md Errors

mklink /d Interface "C:\Multi\War\Interface"

md Logs
md WTF

mklink "BackgroundDownloader.exe" "C:\Multi\War\BackgroundDownloader.exe"
mklink "Burning Crusade Install Log.html" "C:\Multi\War\Burning Crusade Install Log.html"
mklink "dbghelp.dll" "C:\Multi\War\dbghelp.dll"
mklink "DivxDecoder.dll" "C:\Multi\War\DivxDecoder.dll"
mklink "ijl15.dll" "C:\Multi\War\ijl15.dll"

copy "C:\Multi\War\Launcher.exe" Launcher.exe
copy "C:\Multi\War\Wow.exe" Wow.exe

mklink "Patch.html" "C:\Multi\War\Patch.html"
mklink "Patch.txt" "C:\Multi\War\Patch.txt"
mklink "realmlist.wtf" "C:\Multi\War\realmlist.wtf"
mklink "Repair.exe" "C:\Multi\War\Repair.exe"
mklink "Scan.dll" "C:\Multi\War\Scan.dll"
mklink "unicows.dll" "C:\Multi\War\unicows.dll"
mklink "World of Warcraft Install Log.html" "C:\Multi\War\World of Warcraft Install Log.html"
mklink "WowError.exe" "C:\Multi\War\WowError.exe"

For allot of extra wow directory's. Only thing you need to manually do after a patch is Copy paste the WoW.exe and Launcher.exe over to the other folders.R

[Chrysanthe]

Well, I actually don't recommend sharing any folder inside the Account folder, because, once you leave WoW, it saves every variable to the SavedVariables files and if more than one client is accessing those .lua files, they might get corrupted and you'd lose information. So I suggest creating either a share folder, where every Account folder resides in or just keep the WTF folders unshared...


If I'm correct, how are you sharing say auctioneer scan data across toons. For that matter, should I just share the file instead of the folder.

You should not share any of the files inside the SavedVariables folder... see my reason above your quote....

[Aradar]

Well, I actually don't recommend sharing any folder inside the Account folder, because, once you leave WoW, it saves every variable to the SavedVariables files and if more than one client is accessing those .lua files, they might get corrupted and you'd lose information. So I suggest creating either a share folder, where every Account folder resides in or just keep the WTF folders unshared...


If I'm correct, how are you sharing say auctioneer scan data across toons. For that matter, should I just share the file instead of the folder.

You should not share any of the files inside the SavedVariables folder... see my reason above your quote....

Yeah, I caught that, just wasn't sure if I was missing something.

Ulitmately I went with Install1\WTF\Account\Account1\SavedVariables being normal and Accounts 2-5 linking to Account1. I went with this against your better judgement because this install is for solo play and therefore those files wont be accessed by more than one client simultaneously. I'm hoping simultaneous is the real issue here, if not, I'll have to figure something else out.

I also linked Install2\WTF\Account\Account1\SavedVariables back to Install1 because again, being the same account, they can't be on simultaneously. I did no linking in Accounts 2-5; however, I did link Install2\Cache, Install2\Data and Install2\Interface back to Install 1. I did the same on Install 3 except I linked none of the SavedVariables folders.

So far everything is working great and it has improved my performance substantionally.

[Chrysanthe]

Well, I actually don't use Auctioneer atm, but when I do, I'll keep it on my main anyways... every transaction, be it gold, items etc. goes through my main, so that problem is ruled out for me...

[wallshot]

here is how I did this with XP, which does not have mklink.
1. download rktools from ms:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9D467A69-57FF-4AE7-96EE-B18C4790CFFD&displaylang=en

2. run the linkd.exe in place of mklink...one of the following html links did not work, but I am up and running find in XP with this now:
"c:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\linkd.exe" Data "C:\temp\wow\Data"
"c:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\linkd.exe" Cache "C:\temp\wow\Cache"
"c:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\linkd.exe" Interface "C:\temp\wow\Interface"

md Errors
md Logs
md WTF

copy "C:\temp\wow\BackgroundDownloader.exe" .
copy "C:\temp\wow\Burning Crusade Install Log.html"
copy "C:\temp\wow\dbghelp.dll"
copy "C:\temp\wow\DivxDecoder.dll"
copy "C:\temp\wow\ijl15.dll"

copy "C:\temp\wow\Launcher.exe" Launcher.exe
copy "C:\temp\wow\Wow.exe" Wow.exe

copy "C:\temp\wow\Patch.html"
copy "C:\temp\wow\Patch.txt"
copy "C:\temp\wow\realmlist.wtf"
copy "C:\temp\wow\Repair.exe"
copy "C:\temp\wow\Scan.dll"
copy "C:\temp\wow\unicows.dll"
copy "C:\temp\wow\World of Warcraft Install Log.html"
copy "C:\temp\wow\WowError.exe"