Mac OS X Server: Web Server Does Not Resolve Aliases

The web server in Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server will not resolve alias files created in the Finder.
Symptom

When clients try to view a web page on your server with a URL that specifies a file, or contains a directory name, that corresponds to an alias file on your server, the page will not load.


Solution

Use a symlink instead of an alias. A symlink is similar to an alias and will be resolved to the original file or directory by both the Finder and the web server. You can create a symlink in the Terminal by using the command:

ln -s original_filename link_name

For more information, refer to the man page for the ln command by using the command:

man ln
Published Date: Feb 17, 2012