USE HARDLINKS BY DEFAULT

You can still use symlinks via launching ammo with -s.

The reason for this change is to improve compatibility with external
tools like dyndolod, which seem to have trouble with symlinks.

README.md

@@ -74,9 +74,11 @@ vanilla                                       Disable all managed components and
 ```
 
 # Technical Details
-- AMMO works via creating symlinks in your game directory pointing to your mod files.
+- AMMO works via creating hardlinks (or symlinks with `ammo -s`) in your game directory
+  pointing to your mod files.
 - When you install an archive, the archive may be renamed to remove special characters.
-- This will remove symlinks and empty directories from your game dir, and reinstall them whenever you commit.
+- This will remove symlinks, hardlinks, and empty directories from your game dir,
+  and reinstall them whenever you commit.
 
 # License
 GNU General Public License v2, with the exception of some of the mock mods used for testing,

ammo/ammo.py

@@ -19,6 +19,16 @@
 
 
 def main():
+
+    args = sys.argv
+
+    if "-h" in args or "--help" in args:
+        print("Usage: ammo [options]")
+        print("-s  --symlink       Use symlinks instead of hardlinks")
+        sys.exit(0)
+
+    use_symlinks = "-s" in sys.argv or "--symlink" in sys.argv
+
     # game selection
     games = [game.name for game in (STEAM / "common").iterdir() if game.name in IDS]
     if not games:
@@ -83,7 +93,7 @@ def main():
     )
 
     # Create an instance of the controller.
-    controller = Controller(DOWNLOADS, game)
+    controller = Controller(DOWNLOADS, game, use_symlinks)
 
     # Run the UI against the controller.
     ui = UI(controller)

ammo/controller.py

@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
 
 
 class Controller:
-    def __init__(self, downloads_dir: Path, game: Game):
+    def __init__(self, downloads_dir: Path, game: Game, use_symlinks=False):
+        self.use_symlinks = use_symlinks
         self.downloads_dir: Path = downloads_dir
         self.game: Game = game
         self.changes: bool = False
@@ -919,8 +920,10 @@ def commit(self) -> bool:
             Path.mkdir(dest.parent, parents=True, exist_ok=True)
             (name, src) = source
             try:
-                dest.symlink_to(src)
-                # dest.hardlink_to(src)
+                if self.use_symlinks:
+                    dest.symlink_to(src)
+                else:
+                    dest.hardlink_to(src)
             except FileExistsError:
                 skipped_files.append(
                     f"{name} skipped overwriting an unmanaged file: \

test/common.py

@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ class AmmoController:
     Removes those folders on exit or error.
     """
 
-    def __init__(self):
+    def __init__(self, use_symlinks=False):
+        self.use_symlinks = use_symlinks
         self.game = GAME
         script_path = Path(__file__)
         self.downloads_dir = script_path.parent / "Downloads"
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ def __enter__(self):
         Return an instance of ammo's controller for tests to
         interact with.
         """
-        return Controller(self.downloads_dir, self.game)
+        return Controller(self.downloads_dir, self.game, self.use_symlinks)
 
     def __exit__(self, *args, **kwargs):
         """
@@ -109,12 +110,12 @@ def mod_extracts_files(mod_name, files):
                 raise FileNotFoundError(expected_file)
 
 
-def mod_installs_files(mod_name, files):
+def mod_installs_files(mod_name, files, use_symlinks=False):
     """
     Expects the name of a file in Downloads, and a list of file paths that should
     exist after installation and commit, relative to the game's directory.
     """
-    with AmmoController() as controller:
+    with AmmoController(use_symlinks) as controller:
         # install the mod
         mod_index_download = [i.name for i in controller.downloads].index(
             mod_name + ".7z"
@@ -155,7 +156,7 @@ def mod_installs_files(mod_name, files):
                 ), f"Detected lonely hard link: {expected_file}"
 
 
-def fomod_selections_choose_files(mod_name, files, selections=[]):
+def fomod_selections_choose_files(mod_name, files, selections=[], use_symlinks=False):
     """
     Configure a fomod with flags, using default flags if unspecified.
 
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ def fomod_selections_choose_files(mod_name, files, selections=[]):
 
     selections is a list of {"page": <page_number>, "option": <selection index>}
     """
-    with AmmoController() as controller:
+    with AmmoController(use_symlinks) as controller:
         mod_index_download = [i.name for i in controller.downloads].index(
             mod_name + ".7z"
         )

test/test_conflict_resolution.py

@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 from common import AmmoController
 
+import pytest
+
 MOD_1 = "conflict_1"
 MOD_2 = "conflict_2"
 
@@ -35,14 +37,15 @@ def test_duplicate_plugin():
             assert len(controller.plugins) == 1
 
 
-def test_conflict_resolution():
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_symlinks", [True, False])
+def test_conflict_resolution(use_symlinks):
     """
     Install two mods with the same files. Verify the symlinks
     point back to the mod last in the load order.
 
     Conflicts for all files and plugins are won by a single mod.
     """
-    with AmmoController() as controller:
+    with AmmoController(use_symlinks) as controller:
         # Install both mods
         for mod in [MOD_1, MOD_2]:
             mod_index_download = [i.name for i in controller.downloads].index(
@@ -97,14 +100,15 @@ def check_links(expected_game_file, expected_mod_file):
             check_links(expected_game_file, expected_mod_file)
 
 
-def test_conflicting_plugins_disable():
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_symlinks", [True, False])
+def test_conflicting_plugins_disable(use_symlinks):
     """
     Install two mods with the same files. Disable the one that is winning the
     conflict for the plugin.
 
     Test that the plugin isn't removed from the controller's plugins.
     """
-    with AmmoController() as controller:
+    with AmmoController(use_symlinks) as controller:
         # Install both mods
         for mod in [MOD_1, MOD_2]:
             mod_index_download = [i.name for i in controller.downloads].index(

test/test_controller_instance.py

@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 import os
 from common import AmmoController, install_everything
+import pytest
 
 
-def test_controller_first_launch():
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_symlinks", [True, False])
+def test_controller_first_launch(use_symlinks):
     """
     Sanity check the ammo_controller fixture, that it creates
     the game directory and properly removes it.
     """
-    with AmmoController() as controller:
+    with AmmoController(use_symlinks) as controller:
         game_dir = controller.game.directory
         assert os.path.exists(
             game_dir
@@ -47,13 +49,14 @@ def test_controller_first_launch():
     ), f"ammo_dir {conf_dir} existed after the context manager closed."
 
 
-def test_controller_subsequent_launch():
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_symlinks", [True, False])
+def test_controller_subsequent_launch(use_symlinks):
     """
     Ensure ammo behaves correctly when launched against a game
     that already has mods installed, Plugins.txt populated with
     a non-default order, etc.
     """
-    with AmmoController() as first_launch:
+    with AmmoController(use_symlinks) as first_launch:
         install_everything(first_launch)
 
         # change some config to ensure it's not just alphabetic

test/test_embers_xd.py

@@ -1,9 +1,11 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 from pathlib import Path
 from common import mod_installs_files
+import pytest
 
 
-def test_fomod_embers_xd():
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_symlinks", [True, False])
+def test_fomod_embers_xd(use_symlinks):
     """
     In the past, there were some issues with Embers XD plugin becoming visible
     upon activate, but not persisting through a refresh.
@@ -18,4 +20,4 @@ def test_fomod_embers_xd():
         Path("Data/Embers XD - Fire Magick Add-On.esp"),
     ]
 
-    mod_installs_files("mock_embers_xd", files)
+    mod_installs_files("mock_embers_xd", files, use_symlinks)

test/test_realistic_ragdolls.py

@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 from pathlib import Path
 from common import (
-    AmmoController,
     fomod_selections_choose_files,
 )
 

test/test_script_extender.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 from pathlib import Path
 from common import mod_extracts_files, mod_installs_files
+import pytest
 
 MOD = "mock_script_extender"
 FILES = [
@@ -21,9 +22,10 @@ def test_install_script_extender():
     mod_extracts_files(MOD, FILES)
 
 
-def test_activate_script_extender():
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_symlinks", [True, False])
+def test_activate_script_extender(use_symlinks):
     """
     Tests that activating a script extender causes files
     to exist in expected locations.
     """
-    mod_installs_files(MOD, FILES)
+    mod_installs_files(MOD, FILES, use_symlinks)

test/test_skyui.py

@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 from pathlib import Path
 from common import mod_extracts_files, mod_installs_files
+import pytest
 
 MOD = "mock_skyui"
 EXTRACT_FILES = [
@@ -20,11 +21,12 @@ def test_install_fake_fomod():
     mod_extracts_files(MOD, EXTRACT_FILES)
 
 
-def test_activate_fake_fomod():
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("use_symlinks", [True, False])
+def test_activate_fake_fomod(use_symlinks):
     """
     Tests that activating a mod that has a fomod dir but no
     ModuleConfig.txt installs symlinks to the expected locations.
 
     Notably, anything inside of the fomod dir is undesired.
     """
-    mod_installs_files(MOD, INSTALL_FILES)
+    mod_installs_files(MOD, INSTALL_FILES, use_symlinks)