Failed to Generate using Symbolic Link Directories as Assets

[Omnisch]

Check List

• I have already read Docs page & Troubleshooting page.
• I have already searched existing issues and they are not help to me.
• I examined error or warning messages and it's difficult to solve.
• I am using the latest version of Hexo. (run hexo version to check)
• My Node.js is matched the required version.

Expected behavior

To generate correctly with a symbolic link directory as an asset in the post asset folder.

Actual behavior

Generated, but after INFO Files loaded in *.**s, there is an error Error: EISDIR: illegal operation on a directory, read. And the symbolic link directory did not appear in /public.

How to reproduce?

1. Set post_asset_folder to true.
2. Create a symbolic link or a junction using Windows cmd, like mklink /D "path\to\source\_post\my_post\asset_link" "path\to\asset\in\somewhere\else".
3. Run hexo clean && hexo g.

Is the problem still there under Safe mode?

Yes

Your Node.js & npm version

node v23.4.0
npm 10.9.2

Your Hexo and Plugin version

hexo-site@0.0.0
├── hexo-deployer-git@4.0.0
├── hexo-footnotes@1.0.2
├── hexo-generator-archive@2.0.0
├── hexo-generator-category@2.0.0
├── hexo-generator-index@4.0.0
├── hexo-generator-tag@2.0.0
├── hexo-hide-posts@0.4.3
├── hexo-renderer-ejs@2.0.0
├── hexo-renderer-markdown-it-plus@1.0.6
├── hexo-renderer-stylus@3.0.1
├── hexo-server@3.0.0
├── hexo-theme-landscape@1.0.0
├── hexo-theme-next@8.21.1
└── hexo@7.3.0

Your package.json

{
  "name": "hexo-site",
  "version": "0.0.0",
  "private": true,
  "scripts": {
    "build": "hexo generate",
    "clean": "hexo clean",
    "deploy": "hexo deploy",
    "server": "hexo server"
  },
  "hexo": {
    "version": "7.3.0"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "hexo": "^7.3.0",
    "hexo-deployer-git": "^4.0.0",
    "hexo-footnotes": "^1.0.2",
    "hexo-generator-archive": "^2.0.0",
    "hexo-generator-category": "^2.0.0",
    "hexo-generator-index": "^4.0.0",
    "hexo-generator-tag": "^2.0.0",
    "hexo-hide-posts": "^0.4.3",
    "hexo-renderer-ejs": "^2.0.0",
    "hexo-renderer-markdown-it-plus": "^1.0.6",
    "hexo-renderer-stylus": "^3.0.1",
    "hexo-server": "^3.0.0",
    "hexo-theme-landscape": "^1.0.0",
    "hexo-theme-next": "^8.21.1"
  }
}

Your site's _config.yml (Optional)

permalink: :title/
post_asset_folder: true
theme: next

Others

No response

[akilesh1706]

@Omnisch I can work on this issue. Can I get it assigned as part of Hacktober fest 2025?

[D-Sketon]

maybe related to #5473, which has issues with handling delimiters and paths.

[Omnisch]

@Omnisch I can work on this issue. Can I get it assigned as part of Hacktober fest 2025?

@akilesh1706 of course, thank you! (actually I didn't know this fest before. is it necessary to ask for permissions?)

[yoshinorin]

@Omnisch
This should be fixed in v8.1.0. Please try it.
Thanks.

[Omnisch]

@yoshinorin
I've updated Hexo to 8.1.0, but the problem persists. the error still reads EISDIR: illegal operation on a directory, read. am I using the wrong type of symlink or something?

[yoshinorin]

@Omnisch

I tested with nearly the same conditions (Hexo 8.1.1, Node.js v23, dependencies, Windows, post_asset_folder: true, directory symbolic link created with mklink /D) but could not reproduce this issue. The generation completed successfully.

I think this issue be related to your environment-specific settings, such as:

• File system permissions
• User account permissions (Administrator vs standard user)
• etc (sorry, I can't come up with)

Do you have any idea about these?

[Omnisch]

@yoshinorin
I figured out where the problem is.

just now I tried paths like _post\cat1\my_post.md and symlink _post\cat1\my_post\, and it worked well just as expected. however, the error will appear when I use _post\cat1\my_collection.md and symlink _post\cat1\my_collection\assets1\ in local directory _post\cat1\my_collection\. is that an expected result?

actually I didn't test on the former situation at the time I created this issue. sorry for that.

[yoshinorin]

@Omnisch

Just to confirm, you're saying that symbolic links created inside the asset folder are not being copied to public, correct?

works:
  _posts/
  └── cat1/
      ├── my_post.md
      └── my_post/  (symlink) ✓ copied to public

doesn't work:
  _posts/
  └── cat1/
      ├── my_collection.md
      └── my_collection/  (asset folder)
          └── assets1/  (symlink) ✗ NOT copied to public

I've verified that they are not copied in versions 7.0.0 through 8.1.1. (I haven't tested versions before 7.0.0.) It does seem like a bug to me, but I'm not sure if it can be fixed.

[Omnisch]

@yoshinorin
yes, exactly.
no worries, please take your time.