Symbolic link created using PHP script doesn't show up, but it's there?

Question

My Symfony 2 installation is on a shared hosting site. Directory structure: ``` public |-- api // subdomain api.mydomain.com |-- app |-- bin |-- m // subdomain m.mydomain.com |-- src |-- vendor |-- www // symfony "web" folder | | | +-- app.php // front controller! ``` Folder `www` is the main folder and it's the folder where the front controller resides. It's bounded to `mydmain.com` or `www.mydomain.com`. Subdmains like `m.mydomain.com` or `api.mydomain.com` are folders inside the `public` one (i.e. `m` or `api`). I've no SSH access but only FTP (no SFTP). The problem is not repeating the content of `www` inside `m` and `api` folder. If I copy all the content from `www` to `api` (say) the front controller is working and I'm able to work with subdomains in Symfony 2. What I've tried so far: Symlink solution Creating a symlink `api` poiting to `www` folder. I've used the folling script placed inside `www` folder: ``` <?php var_dump(__DIR__); // /htdocs/public/www where script is execut…

Accepted Answer

I have exactly the same configuration, and got it work! The only difference is that I map api.domain.com to www.domain.com/api instead of your www.domain.com, so my api symlink points to www/api, not www.

.htaccess solution

You can use a modification of one of my scenarios described below that doesn't need a symlink:

/htdocs/public/.htaccess:

First include the code to preserve HTTP/HTTPS protocol in redirections (I will assume this code for all of my examples):

```
RewriteEngine on
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} =on
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ - [env=proto:https]
RewriteCond %{HTTPS} !=on
RewriteRule ^(.*)$ - [env=proto:http]
```

The redirection code:

```
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}  ^api\.domain\.com$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$        %{ENV:proto}://domain.com/api/$1 [L]
```

This will redirect all requests `api.domain.com/$1` to `domain.com/api/$1`. Or you can just use `http://domain.com/$1` if you wish.

EDIT: if you don't want to hardcode the domain, you can use %N backreferences:

```
# don't forget to use the HTTP/HTTPS handling code above
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}    ^api\.([a-zA-Z0-9-]+\.[a-zA-Z0-9-]+)$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$           %{ENV:proto}://%1/api/$1 [L]
```

Symlink solution

I) Regarding the symlink, it is strange that you don't see the symlink over the FTP. I see it in FileZilla as a directory (as if it was a hardlink). Try to install FileZilla (and use explicit FTP over TLS for safe authentication).

II) The `Options +FollowSymLinks` must be enabled, but in most hosting environments you cannot set it yourself. Depends whether the hosting company allowed you this setting by `AllowOverride Options`. You can easily find out:

- put `Options +FollowSymLinks` to /htdocs/public/.htaccess

- make a symlink www/foo.php pointing to www/app.php

- try to access foo.php

- alternatively, if the hosting provider provides you access to the server log, you can see if there was an error in the log.

If this fails, you have to ask your hosting provider to either set `Options +FollowSymLinks` globally, or allow `AllowOverride Options` globally.

Scenarios

I have actually 4 scenarios (you can test them online on my domain) using different methods (suppose that the master directory is named /public as in your case):

1) avif.birds.cz redirects to birds.cz/avif/ (canonical) - solution with a symlink

/public/avif - symlink to /public/www/avif

/public/www/avif/.htaccess:

```
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}    ^avif\.birds\.cz$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$          %{ENV:proto}://birds.cz/avif/$1 [L]
```

2) cap.birds.cz redirects to birds.cz/avif/some_url (doesn't need a symlink at all)

/public/.htaccess:

```
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}    ^(www\.)?cap\.birds\.cz$ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$          %{ENV:proto}://birds.cz/avif/cap_intro.php [L]
```

3) (www.)birds.cz/jpsp redirects to jpsp.birds.cz (canonical)

/public/jpsp - symlink to /public/www/jpsp

/public/www/jpsp/.htaccess:

```
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}    !^jpsp\.birds\.cz$ [NC]
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}    !^$
RewriteRule ^(.*)$          %{ENV:proto}://jpsp.birds.cz/$1 [L]
```

4) www.rorysi.cz - alias domain served by the same tree (rorysi.cz must stay as canonical domain)

the PHP source for this domain is different, placed under /public/www/rorysi.

/public/www/.htaccess:

```
RewriteCond %{HTTP_HOST}    ^(www\.)?rorysi\.cz$ [NC]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI}  !^/rorysi/ [NC]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI}  !=/rorysi [NC]
RewriteCond %{REQUEST_URI}  !^/lib/ [NC]
RewriteRule ^(.*)$          %{ENV:proto}://www.rorysi.cz/rorysi/$1 [L]
```

Note: the lib dir contains PHP libraries and inline stuff, so I don't want this to be redirected.

Maybe some of those scenarios can be helpful or inspirative to you.

Symbolic link created using PHP script doesn't show up, but it's there?

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