### Please describe the problem. subject + what was described in https://git-annex.branchable.com/forum/some_symlinks_left_in_direct_mode/ some time ago I guess ### What steps will reproduce the problem? clone git annex repo, switch immediately to direct mode and observe files being left as dangling symlinks, get some content -- they get into normal files, drop them -- broken symlinks again. I thought (and I believe that it was like that) that in direct mode -- no symlinks to .git/annex regardless of the state (present/absent). full example /transcript is below ### What version of git-annex are you using? On what operating system? Debian sid 5.20150710-2 ### Please provide any additional information below. [[!format sh """ # If you can, paste a complete transcript of the problem occurring here. # If the problem is with the git-annex assistant, paste in .git/annex/daemon.log $> git clone git://github.com/datalad/testrepo--basic--r1 Cloning into 'testrepo--basic--r1'... remote: Counting objects: 23, done. remote: Total 23 (delta 0), reused 0 (delta 0), pack-reused 23 Receiving objects: 100% (23/23), done. Resolving deltas: 100% (3/3), done. Checking connectivity... done. 2 22606.....................................:Tue 28 Jul 2015 04:11:23 PM EDT:. hopa:/tmp $> cd testrepo--basic--r1 INFO.txt test-annex.dat@ test.dat 2 22607.....................................:Tue 28 Jul 2015 04:11:30 PM EDT:. (git)hopa:/tmp/testrepo--basic--r1[master] $> ls -l total 12 -rw------- 1 yoh yoh 53 Jul 28 16:11 INFO.txt lrwxrwxrwx 1 yoh yoh 186 Jul 28 16:11 test-annex.dat -> .git/annex/objects/zk/71/SHA256E-s4--181210f8f9c779c26da1d9b2075bde0127302ee0e3fca38c9a83f5b1dd8e5d3b.dat/SHA256E-s4--181210f8f9c779c26da1d9b2075bde0127302ee0e3fca38c9a83f5b1dd8e5d3b.dat -rw------- 1 yoh yoh 4 Jul 28 16:11 test.dat 2 22608.....................................:Tue 28 Jul 2015 04:11:31 PM EDT:. (git)hopa:/tmp/testrepo--basic--r1[master] $> git annex direct (merging origin/git-annex into git-annex...) (recording state in git...) commit (recording state in git...) On branch master Your branch is up-to-date with 'origin/master'. nothing to commit, working directory clean ok direct ok 2 22609.....................................:Tue 28 Jul 2015 04:11:36 PM EDT:. (git)hopa:/tmp/testrepo--basic--r1[master] $> ls -l total 12 -rw------- 1 yoh yoh 53 Jul 28 16:11 INFO.txt lrwxrwxrwx 1 yoh yoh 186 Jul 28 16:11 test-annex.dat -> .git/annex/objects/zk/71/SHA256E-s4--181210f8f9c779c26da1d9b2075bde0127302ee0e3fca38c9a83f5b1dd8e5d3b.dat/SHA256E-s4--181210f8f9c779c26da1d9b2075bde0127302ee0e3fca38c9a83f5b1dd8e5d3b.dat -rw------- 1 yoh yoh 4 Jul 28 16:11 test.dat 2 22610.....................................:Tue 28 Jul 2015 04:11:38 PM EDT:. (git)hopa:/tmp/testrepo--basic--r1[master] $> git annex get test-annex.dat get test-annex.dat (from web...) /tmp/testrepo--basic--r1/.git/annex/tmp/SHA256E-s4--1 100%[===========================================================================================================================>] 4 --.-KB/s in 0s ok (recording state in git...) 2 22611.....................................:Tue 28 Jul 2015 04:11:45 PM EDT:. (git)hopa:/tmp/testrepo--basic--r1[master] $> ls -lta total 12 drwxrwxrwt 126 root root 4020 Jul 28 16:11 ../ drwx------ 3 yoh yoh 120 Jul 28 16:11 ./ -rw------- 1 yoh yoh 4 Jul 28 16:11 test-annex.dat drwx------ 9 yoh yoh 300 Jul 28 16:11 .git/ -rw------- 1 yoh yoh 53 Jul 28 16:11 INFO.txt -rw------- 1 yoh yoh 4 Jul 28 16:11 test.dat 2 22612.....................................:Tue 28 Jul 2015 04:11:49 PM EDT:. (git)hopa:/tmp/testrepo--basic--r1[master] $> git annex drop test-annex.dat drop test-annex.dat (checking https://raw.githubusercontent.com/datalad/testrepo--basic--r1/master/test.dat...) ok (recording state in git...) 2 22613.....................................:Tue 28 Jul 2015 04:11:57 PM EDT:. (git)hopa:/tmp/testrepo--basic--r1[master] $> ls -l total 12 -rw------- 1 yoh yoh 53 Jul 28 16:11 INFO.txt lrwxrwxrwx 1 yoh yoh 186 Jul 28 16:11 test-annex.dat -> .git/annex/objects/zk/71/SHA256E-s4--181210f8f9c779c26da1d9b2075bde0127302ee0e3fca38c9a83f5b1dd8e5d3b.dat/SHA256E-s4--181210f8f9c779c26da1d9b2075bde0127302ee0e3fca38c9a83f5b1dd8e5d3b.dat -rw------- 1 yoh yoh 4 Jul 28 16:11 test.dat # End of transcript or log. """]] > Closing as I think we're in agreement this is the right behavior. > But, see . > [[done]] --[[Joey]]