usr/man/cat1/ln.0



LN(1)               UNIX Programmer's Manual                LN(1)


N\bNA\bAM\bME\bE
     ln - make links

S\bSY\bYN\bNO\bOP\bPS\bSI\bIS\bS
     l\bln\bn [ -\b-s\bs ] sourcename [ targetname ]
     l\bln\bn [ -\b-s\bs ] sourcename1 sourcename2 [ sourcename3 ... ] tar-
     getdirectory

D\bDE\bES\bSC\bCR\bRI\bIP\bPT\bTI\bIO\bON\bN
     A link is a directory entry referring to a file; the same
     file (together with its size, all its protection informa-
     tion, etc.) may have several links to it.  There are two
     kinds of links: hard links and symbolic links.

     By default _\bl_\bn makes hard links.  A hard link to a file is
     indistinguishable from the original directory entry; any
     changes to a file are effective independent of the name used
     to reference the file.  Hard links may not refer to direc-
     tories (unless the proper incantations are supplied) and may
     not span file systems.

     The -\b-s\bs option causes _\bl_\bn to create symbolic links.  A sym-
     bolic link contains the name of the file to which it is
     linked.  The referenced file is used when an _\bo_\bp_\be_\bn(2) opera-
     tion is performed on the link.  A _\bs_\bt_\ba_\bt(2) on a symbolic link
     will return the linked-to file; an _\bl_\bs_\bt_\ba_\bt(2) must be done to
     obtain information about the link.  The _\br_\be_\ba_\bd_\bl_\bi_\bn_\bk(2) call may
     be used to read the contents of a symbolic link.  Symbolic
     links may span file systems and may refer to directories.

     Given one or two arguments, _\bl_\bn creates a link to an existing
     file _\bs_\bo_\bu_\br_\bc_\be_\bn_\ba_\bm_\be.  If _\bt_\ba_\br_\bg_\be_\bt_\bn_\ba_\bm_\be is given, the link has that
     name; _\bt_\ba_\br_\bg_\be_\bt_\bn_\ba_\bm_\be may also be a directory in which to place
     the link; otherwise it is placed in the current directory.
     If only the directory is specified, the link will be made to
     the last component of _\bs_\bo_\bu_\br_\bc_\be_\bn_\ba_\bm_\be.

     Given more than two arguments, _\bl_\bn makes links in _\bt_\ba_\br_\bg_\be_\bt_\b-
     _\bd_\bi_\br_\be_\bc_\bt_\bo_\br_\by to all the named source files.  The links made
     will have the same name as the files being linked to.

S\bSE\bEE\bE A\bAL\bLS\bSO\bO
     rm(1), cp(1), mv(1), link(2), readlink(2), stat(2), sym-
     link(2)


Printed 7/9/88          November 26, 1986                       1