diff --git a/clite/commands.js b/clite/commands.js
index 810fa52..fe2b0ff 100644
--- a/clite/commands.js
+++ b/clite/commands.js
@@ -48,15 +48,18 @@ Options:
 		`);
 	}
 
-	function writeNodeData(node) {
+	function writeNodeData(st,fd) {
 		if (long) {
-			if (node.data.islink) {
-				io.write(node.perms+'\t'+node.uid+'\t'+node.gid+'\t'+node.name+' -> '+node.data.content);
+			if (st.type == 4) {
+				var d = stdio.readAll(fd);
+				if (!d)
+					d = '?';
+				io.write(st.perms+'\t'+st.uid+'\t'+st.gid+'\t'+st.name+' -> '+d);
 			}else{
-				io.write(node.perms+'\t'+node.uid+'\t'+node.gid+'\t'+node.name);
+				io.write(st.perms+'\t'+st.uid+'\t'+st.gid+'\t'+st.name);
 			}
 		}else{
-			io.write(node.name);
+			io.write(st.name);
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -91,14 +94,27 @@ Options:
 			io.error('cannot open directory: '+dir);
 			return;
 		}
-		if (!fd.node.data.isdir) {
-			writeNodeData(fd.node);
+		var st = stdio.fstat(fd);
+		if (!st || st.type != 3) {
+			writeNodeData(st,fd);
 			stdio.close(fd);
 			return;
 		}
 		var e;
 		while ((e = stdio.read(fd)) != null) {
-			writeNodeData(e);
+			var efd = stdio.open(dir+'/'+e,false,true);
+			if (!efd) {
+				io.error('cannot read contents: '+dir);
+				break;
+			}
+			var est = stdio.fstat(efd);
+			if (!est) {
+				stdio.close(efd);
+				io.error('cannot read contents: '+dir);
+				break;
+			}
+			writeNodeData(est,efd);
+			stdio.close(efd);
 		}
 		stdio.close(fd);
 	});
@@ -149,15 +165,21 @@ Options:
 	pending = files.length;
 
 	function fcb(fd) {
-		if (fd.node.data.isdir || fd.node.data.islink) {
-			io.error('not a normal file: '+fd.node.name);
+		var st = stdio.fstat(fd);
+		// check if it's a directory or link
+		if (!st || st.type == 3 || st.type == 4) {
+			if (st) {
+				io.error('not a normal file: '+st.name);
+			}else{
+				io.error('not a normal file');
+			}
 		}else{
 			var d = stdio.readAll(fd);
 			if (d != null) {
 				if (download) {
 					var ld = stdio.open('/dev/local',false);
 					if (ld) {
-						stdio.write(ld,{name:fd.node.name,data:d});
+						stdio.write(ld,{name:st.name,data:d});
 						stdio.close(ld);
 					}else{
 						io.error('can not write to local device');
@@ -180,7 +202,9 @@ Options:
 			pending--;
 			return;
 		}
-		if (fd.node.data.isdir || fd.node.data.islink) {
+		var st = stdio.fstat(fd);
+		// check if it's a directory or link
+		if (!st || st.type == 3 || st.type == 4) {
 			io.error('not a normal file: '+file);
 			pending--;
 			return;
diff --git a/clite/core.js b/clite/core.js
index 6d9f653..49ed613 100644
--- a/clite/core.js
+++ b/clite/core.js
@@ -519,8 +519,12 @@ clite.io = {
 				return vfsapi.mkFile(path);
 			}
 		}
-		clite.io.open = function(path,cb) {
-			return getFileDes(path,false,cb);
+		clite.io.open = function(path,cb,open_link) {
+			if (typeof cb === 'undefined')
+				cb = false;
+			if (typeof open_link === 'undefined')
+				open_link = false;
+			return getFileDes(path,open_link,cb);
 		}
 		clite.io.close = function(fd) {
 			try{
@@ -542,6 +546,10 @@ clite.io = {
 			}
 			if (fd.pos >= fd.node.data.content.length)
 				return null;
+			if (fd.node.data.isdir) {
+				var e = fd.node.data.content[fd.pos++];
+				return e.name;
+			}
 			return fd.node.data.content[fd.pos++];
 		}
 		clite.io.readLine = function(fd) {
@@ -662,6 +670,7 @@ clite.io = {
 				return null;
 
 			var stat = Object.create({
+				name:fd.node.name,
 				type:clite.lib.getFileType(fd),
 				uid:fd.node.uid,
 				gid:fd.node.gid,