ln(1)                                                       ln(1)



     NAME
          ln - make links

     SYNOPSIS
          ln [-s] name1 [name2]

          ln name...directory

     DESCRIPTION
          A link is a directory entry referring to a file; the same
          file (together with its size, all its protection
          information, etc.) may have several links to it.  There are
          two kinds of links: hard links and symbolic links.

          By default ln 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 span file systems
          and may not refer to directories.

          The -s flag option causes ln to create symbolic links.  A
          symbolic link contains the name of the file to which it is
          linked.  The referenced file is used when an open(2)
          operation is performed on the link.  A stat(2) on a symbolic
          link will return the linked-to file; an lstat(2) must be
          done to obtain information about the link.  The readlink(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, ln creates a link to an existing
          file name1.  If name2 is given, the link has that name;
          name2 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 name1.

          Given more than two arguments, ln makes links to all the
          named files in the named directory.  The links made will
          have the same name as the files being linked to.

     FILES
          /bin/ln

     SEE ALSO
          rm(1), cp(1), mv(1), link(2), readlink(2), stat(2),
          symlink(2).








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