title: Is it possible to create a conda environment on a filesystem that doesn't allow symlinks (hard links or soft links)?
body: <p>I want to create and use a conda environment on a filesystem (azure files) that doesn't allow symlinks. Is this possible?</p>
  
  <p>The environment is an Azure Container Instance with a Fileshare mounted. I'm trying to create the environment on the file share. </p>
  
  <p>I've tried <code>conda create /path/to/share -f my_env.yaml</code> This fails with errors like <code>Error: create soft link operation unavaliable</code>.</p>
  
  <p>What I've done that <em>sort</em> of woks is creating the env in the containers home space (normal filesystem allowing symlinks) and then copying across to the file share with the copy option to follow symlinks e.g:`</p>
  
  <pre><code>conda create ~/temp_env_location -f my_env.yaml  
  cp -rL ~/temp_env_location /path/to/share
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>This <em>sort</em> of works but it duplicates many thousands of files even for a small environment. Is very slow and I haven't tested it enough to be sure it works well.</p>
  
  <p>Any suggestions for a better approach?</p>