ln(1)                                                       ln(1)



     NAME
          ln - make links

     SYNOPSIS
          ln [-s] name1 [name2]

          ln name...  directory

          ln -f directory1 directory2

     DESCRIPTION
          A link is a directory entry referring to a file; the same
          file (together with its size, all its protection informa-
          tion, and so forth) 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 (unless created with the -f option by the su-
          peruser) 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) opera-
          tion 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.

          ln may be invoked with one, two, or more than two arguments.
          If given one argument, ln creates a link in the current
          directory to name1.  The file named by name1 must not al-
          ready exist in the current directory, or ln will exit with
          the message name1: File exists.

          Given two arguments, ln creates a link to an existing file
          name1 having the name name2.  The argument name2 may also be
          a directory in which to place the link.  If only the direc-
          tory is specified, the link will be made to the last com-
          ponent of name1.  If name1 is not found, ln will so indicate
          and no link will be created.  If name2 already exists, it
          will not be overwritten.

          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.

          The -f flag option causes ln to make a hard link to an ex-
          isting directory.  Any files or directories located in



     April, 1990                                                     1

     ln(1)                                                       ln(1)



          directory1 will also be found in directory2.  Moreover, new
          files created in either directory will appear in the other.
          Only the superuser is permitted to use this option.

     FILES
          /bin/ln

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













































     2                                                     April, 1990