Here you can create links to and from files. Windows shortcuts, symbolic links and hard-links are supported.

 

The process will delete the marked files are replace each with a link or shortcut.  This link/shortcut file will link to the first suitable non-marked file in each group.

When creating links there needs to be at least one file in each duplicate group left not marked. This will be the 'original' file to which the other marked files in the group are linked.

 

Create Windows shortcuts

Replaces each marked file with a Windows shortcut file (also known as shell link) which points to another file in the same group.

 

Create symbolic links

Creates a symbolic link (also known as a Soft link) for each marked file.

Note: Requires Duplicate Cleaner to be running as Administrator. 

 

Create hard links

A hard link is a directory entry for a file. Every file can be considered to have at least one hard link. On NTFS volumes, each file can have multiple hard links, and thus a single file can appear in many directories (or even in the same directory with different names). Because all of the links reference the same file, programs can open any of the links and modify the file. A file is deleted from the file system only after all links to it have been deleted. After you create a hard link, programs can use it like any other file name.

 

You can only create hard links on NTFS volumes. You cannot create hard links between volumes (different hard drives or network shares).

 

Once linked there will appear to be no difference between the linked file and the original in Windows Explorer.  In addition, hard linked files will appear again as duplicates if you rescan, unless you have the 'Exclude hard linked files from duplicate list' setting on the Search criteria tab checked.

 

 

Options: