Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!husc6!bbn!uwmcsd1!ig!agate!pasteur!ames!oliveb!pyramid!prls!mips!dce
From: dce@mips.COM (David Elliott)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Magic symlink syntax
Keywords: nami hack, namei hack
Message-ID: <2371@quacky.mips.COM>
Date: 13 Jun 88 15:55:48 GMT
Reply-To: dce@mips.COM (David Elliott)
Organization: MIPS Computer Systems, Sunnyvale, CA
Lines: 16


We are in the process of considering a system modification that systems
folks lovingly refer to as the "nami hack" (or "namei hack" for BSD folks).
This is the modification that allows one to put a variable inside of
a symbolic link target so that people can choose default execution
"universes" or "modes" or "system types".

I believe that the Apollo Domain/IX syntax was '($name)' or '$(name)'.
I'd like to get a list of those currently available, as well as the
pros and cons of each syntax.

Also, if other people have come up with functionally similar systems
that use a different mechanism, I'd like to hear about those as well.

-- 
David Elliott		dce@mips.com  or  {ames,prls,pyramid,decwrl}!mips!dce