# Cannot see links in org-roam buffer and org-roam-server

**URL:** <https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/cannot-see-links-in-org-roam-buffer-and-org-roam-server/1585>\
**Category:** Troubleshooting\
**Created:** [May 13, 2021, 4:37am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/cannot-see-links-in-org-roam-buffer-and-org-roam-server/1585 "2021-05-13T04:37:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rajp152k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce7236/32.png) [@rajp152k](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/rajp152k)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 4:37am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/cannot-see-links-in-org-roam-buffer-and-org-roam-server/1585/1 "2021-05-13T04:37:27Z")

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I’ve been setting up org-roam for the past 2 days and I can’t seem to figure out how the links actually work.

I can insert them with org-roam-insert(-immediate) : files do show up in the minibuffer for completion and I can follow them as well.

But the org-roam buffer is blank and the links do not show in the graph built by org-roam-server or the native graphing executable by graphviz.

Appreciate any help / links / guides for a proper workflow

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**Author:** ![nobiot](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/free1/user_avatar/org-roam.discourse.group/nobiot/32/159_2.png) [@nobiot](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/nobiot)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 7:27am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/cannot-see-links-in-org-roam-buffer-and-org-roam-server/1585/2 "2021-05-13T07:27:53Z")

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Do you use a symbolic link within Org-roam directory? If so, the problem might be solved by using `file-tuename` to define `org-roam-directory` like this:

```
(setq (org-roam-directory (file-truename "/path/to/org-files/")))

```

You may need to rebuild the db to effect it for existing files. See if it works with a couple of new files first.

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**Author:** ![rajp152k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce7236/32.png) [@rajp152k](https://org-roam.discourse.group/u/rajp152k)\
**Post date:** [May 13, 2021, 8:32am UTC](https://org-roam.discourse.group/t/cannot-see-links-in-org-roam-buffer-and-org-roam-server/1585/3 "2021-05-13T08:32:41Z")

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Thanks a lot.  
That was exactly the problem;  
Using an absolute path without any symbolic links solved the issue.