Can not symlink app/Mage.php

Question

I want to deploy the Magento Core Files (Magento CE 1.7.0.2) through modman. However, when the file app/Mage.php is symlinked, the Magento Shop returns the install page.

When i restore the original file for app/Mage.php, everything works again. First, I supposed the file permissions for the symlinked file are not correct:

File: app/Mage.php

• Symlinked: 777
• Original: 664

However, it is impossible to change the file permission of a symlink. In Magento Backend, the setting "dev/template/allow_symlink" is true.

The file app/Mage.php defines an incorrect magento root folder, when it is located for example at magento_root/.modman/Magento_Core/app/Mage.php and symlinked into magento_root/app/Mage.php. I could reproduce this with a magento vanilla installation.

Does anybody have an idea to overcome this issue?

Answer 1

The important file local.xml must exist in the deployed modman-Folder, otherwise Magento returns the install page: magento_root/.modman/Magento_Core/app/etc/local.xml.

Magento does not seems to use the symlinked file magento_root/app/etc/local.xml.

Answer 2

I'm assuming you're using apache make sure that is configured to follow symlinks as well. FollowSymLinks is the what you're looking for.