Fixed tail --follow=name continuing to tail a symlink target, unlike GNU tail. Closes #10328

src/uu/tail/locales/en-US.ftl

@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ tail-status-has-been-replaced-following-new-file = { $file } has been replaced;
 tail-status-file-truncated = { $file }: file truncated
 tail-status-replaced-with-untailable-file = { $file } has been replaced with an untailable file
 tail-status-replaced-with-untailable-file-giving-up = { $file } has been replaced with an untailable file; giving up on this name
+tail-status-replaced-with-untailable-symlink = { $file } has been replaced with an untailable symbolic link
 tail-status-file-became-inaccessible = { $file } { $become_inaccessible }: { $no_such_file }
 tail-status-directory-containing-watched-file-removed = directory containing watched file was removed
 tail-status-backend-cannot-be-used-reverting-to-polling = { $backend } cannot be used, reverting to polling

src/uu/tail/locales/fr-FR.ftl

@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ tail-status-has-been-replaced-following-new-file = { $file } a été remplacé ;
 tail-status-file-truncated = { $file } : fichier tronqué
 tail-status-replaced-with-untailable-file = { $file } a été remplacé par un fichier non suivable
 tail-status-replaced-with-untailable-file-giving-up = { $file } a été remplacé par un fichier non suivable ; abandon de ce nom
+tail-status-replaced-with-untailable-symlink = { $file } a été remplacé par un lien symbolique non suivable
 tail-status-file-became-inaccessible = { $file } { $become_inaccessible } : { $no_such_file }
 tail-status-directory-containing-watched-file-removed = le répertoire contenant le fichier surveillé a été supprimé
 tail-status-backend-cannot-be-used-reverting-to-polling = { $backend } ne peut pas être utilisé, retour au sondage

src/uu/tail/src/follow/files.rs

@@ -134,6 +134,10 @@ impl FileHandling {
         };
     }
 
+    pub fn update_symlink(&mut self, path: &Path, is_symlink: bool) {
+        self.get_mut(path).is_symlink = is_symlink;
+    }
+
     /// Read new data from `path` and print it to stdout
     pub fn tail_file(&mut self, path: &Path, verbose: bool) -> UResult<bool> {
         let mut chunks = BytesChunkBuffer::new(u64::MAX);
@@ -178,18 +182,21 @@ pub struct PathData {
     pub reader: Option<Box<dyn BufRead>>,
     pub metadata: Option<Metadata>,
     pub display_name: String,
+    pub is_symlink: bool,
 }
 
 impl PathData {
     pub fn new(
         reader: Option<Box<dyn BufRead>>,
         metadata: Option<Metadata>,
         display_name: &str,
+        is_symlink: bool,
     ) -> Self {
         Self {
             reader,
             metadata,
             display_name: display_name.to_owned(),
+            is_symlink,
         }
     }
     pub fn from_other_with_path(data: Self, path: &Path) -> Self {
@@ -205,7 +212,15 @@ impl PathData {
             // Probably file was renamed/moved or removed again
             None
         };
+        let is_symlink = path
+            .symlink_metadata()
+            .is_ok_and(|meta| meta.file_type().is_symlink());
 
-        Self::new(reader, path.metadata().ok(), data.display_name.as_str())
+        Self::new(
+            reader,
+            path.metadata().ok(),
+            data.display_name.as_str(),
+            is_symlink,
+        )
     }
 }

src/uu/tail/src/follow/watch.rs

@@ -151,9 +151,12 @@ impl Observer {
                 path.to_owned()
             };
             let metadata = path.metadata().ok();
+            let is_symlink = path
+                .symlink_metadata()
+                .is_ok_and(|meta| meta.file_type().is_symlink());
             self.files.insert(
                 &path,
-                PathData::new(reader, metadata, display_name),
+                PathData::new(reader, metadata, display_name, is_symlink),
                 update_last,
             );
         }
@@ -304,8 +307,29 @@ impl Observer {
             EventKind::Modify(ModifyKind::Metadata(MetadataKind::Any | MetadataKind::WriteTime) | ModifyKind::Data(DataChange::Any) | ModifyKind::Name(RenameMode::To)) |
             EventKind::Create(CreateKind::File | CreateKind::Folder | CreateKind::Any) => {
                 if let Ok(new_md) = event_path.metadata() {
+                    let new_is_symlink = event_path
+                        .symlink_metadata()
+                        .is_ok_and(|meta| meta.file_type().is_symlink());
                     let is_tailable = new_md.is_tailable();
                     let pd = self.files.get(event_path);
+
+                    if self.follow_name() && !pd.is_symlink && new_is_symlink {
+                        if pd.reader.is_some() {
+                            self.files.reset_reader(event_path);
+                        }
+                        show_error!(
+                            "{}",
+                            translate!(
+                                "tail-status-replaced-with-untailable-symlink",
+                                "file" => display_name.quote()
+                            )
+                        );
+                        self.files
+                            .update_metadata(event_path, event_path.symlink_metadata().ok());
+                        self.files.update_symlink(event_path, true);
+                        return Ok(paths);
+                    }
+
                     if let Some(old_md) = &pd.metadata {
                         if is_tailable {
                             // We resume tracking from the start of the file,
@@ -374,6 +398,7 @@ impl Observer {
                         }
                     }
                     self.files.update_metadata(event_path, Some(new_md));
+                    self.files.update_symlink(event_path, new_is_symlink);
                 }
             }
             EventKind::Remove(RemoveKind::File | RemoveKind::Any)
@@ -497,12 +522,30 @@ pub fn follow(mut observer: Observer, settings: &Settings) -> UResult<()> {
                 if new_path.exists() {
                     let pd = observer.files.get(new_path);
                     let md = new_path.metadata().unwrap();
+                    let new_is_symlink = new_path
+                        .symlink_metadata()
+                        .is_ok_and(|meta| meta.file_type().is_symlink());
+                    if !pd.is_symlink && new_is_symlink {
+                        show_error!(
+                            "{}",
+                            translate!(
+                                "tail-status-replaced-with-untailable-symlink",
+                                "file" => pd.display_name.quote()
+                            )
+                        );
+                        observer
+                            .files
+                            .update_metadata(new_path, new_path.symlink_metadata().ok());
+                        observer.files.update_symlink(new_path, true);
+                        continue;
+                    }
                     if md.is_tailable() && pd.reader.is_none() {
                         show_error!(
                             "{}",
                             translate!("tail-status-has-appeared-following-new-file", "file" => pd.display_name.quote())
                         );
                         observer.files.update_metadata(new_path, Some(md));
+                        observer.files.update_symlink(new_path, new_is_symlink);
                         observer.files.update_reader(new_path)?;
                         _read_some = observer.files.tail_file(new_path, settings.verbose)?;
                         observer

tests/by-util/test_tail.rs

@@ -3684,17 +3684,52 @@ fn test_when_argument_file_is_a_symlink() {
 fn test_when_argument_file_is_a_symlink_to_directory_then_error() {
     let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
     let at = &ts.fixtures;
-
     at.mkdir("dir");
     at.symlink_file("dir", "dir_link");
-
     let expected = "tail: error reading 'dir_link': Is a directory\n";
     ts.ucmd()
         .arg("dir_link")
         .fails_with_code(1)
         .stderr_only(expected);
 }
 
+// TODO: make this work on windows
+#[test]
+#[cfg(unix)]
+fn test_follow_name_replaced_with_symlink() {
+    let ts = TestScenario::new(util_name!());
+    let at = &ts.fixtures;
+    let file = "testfile";
+    let target = "target";
+
+    at.write(file, "original\n");
+    at.write(target, "target\n");
+
+    let mut child = ts
+        .ucmd()
+        .args(&[
+            "--follow=name",
+            "-n",
+            "0",
+            "--sleep-interval=0.1",
+            "--use-polling",
+            file,
+        ])
+        .run_no_wait();
+
+    child.delay(500);
+    at.remove(file);
+    at.symlink_file(target, file);
+    child.delay(500);
+
+    child
+        .kill()
+        .make_assertion()
+        .with_all_output()
+        .stderr_contains("tail: 'testfile' has been replaced with an untailable symbolic link")
+        .stdout_is("");
+}
+
 // TODO: make this work on windows
 #[test]
 #[cfg(unix)]