dvc: adding external file through a symlink to a directory

[efiop]

https://discordapp.com/channels/485586884165107732/485596304961962003/548151166706647064

#!/bin/bash

mkdir dvc_example
cd dvc_example

# Create data dir
mkdir data
echo "data" >> data/data_file

mkdir my_repo
cd my_repo
ln -s ../data .

git init
dvc init

dvc add -v data/data_file

[ghost]

@efiop , is this a bug or a feature request?

[efiop]

@MrOutis sorry, forgot to add a label. It is a bug.

[efiop]

Related #774

[aro-max]

Hi all,
I would like to add an external directory defined by a symlink. But it seems it is not supported :
dvc add --external link_to_dir

It will allow abstracting the local dir where I put my data (raid). The other project contributors don't have a raid disk on their machine. They have a single disk.
What is the best way to manage this configuration?
Thanks

[efiop]

@alexandre-rouxel We don't recommend using --external. Seems like you are looking for straight-to-cache scenario #4520 , we are currentry working on it in a linked PR. For now the proper way to do it is to copy it to your dvc project and dvc add dir it there.