diff --git a/ingredients/file/file.go b/ingredients/file/file.go
index 921b689..4c69190 100644
--- a/ingredients/file/file.go
+++ b/ingredients/file/file.go
@@ -443,6 +443,9 @@ func (f File) PropertiesForMethod(method string) (map[string]string, error) {
 			"name": "string",
 		}, nil
 	case "symlink":
+		//		return ingredients.MethodPropsSet{
+		//			ingredients.MethodProps{Key: "name", Val: "string", IsReq: true},
+		//		}.ToMap(), nil
 		return map[string]string{
 			"name": "string", "target": "string", "force": "bool", "backupname": "string",
 			"makedirs": "bool", "user": "string", "group": "string", "mode": "string",
diff --git a/ingredients/ingredients.go b/ingredients/ingredients.go
index a9d7d64..448a28d 100644
--- a/ingredients/ingredients.go
+++ b/ingredients/ingredients.go
@@ -17,6 +17,27 @@ func init() {
 	ingMap = make(map[types.Ingredient]map[string]types.RecipeCooker)
 }
 
+type MethodProps struct {
+	Key   string
+	Val   string
+	IsReq bool
+}
+
+type MethodPropsSet []MethodProps
+
+func (m MethodPropsSet) ToMap() map[string]string {
+	ret := make(map[string]string)
+	for _, v := range m {
+		ret[v.Key] = v.Val
+		if v.IsReq {
+			ret[v.Key] = ret[v.Key] + ",req"
+		} else {
+			ret[v.Key] = ret[v.Key] + ",opt"
+		}
+	}
+	return ret
+}
+
 func RegisterAllMethods(step types.RecipeCooker) {
 	ingTex.Lock()
 	defer ingTex.Unlock()