ln(1)                                                       ln(1)



NAME
     ln - makes links

SYNOPSIS
     ln [-s] file1 [file2]

     ln file... directory

     ln -f directory1 directory2

ARGUMENTS
     -f   Causes ln to make a hard link to an existing directory.
          Only the superuser is permitted to use this option.

     directory
          Specifies the directory to which the file is linked.

     directory1
          Specifies the directory that will be hard linked to
          directory2.

     directory2
          Specifies the directory that will be hard linked to
          directory1.

     file Specifies the file that will be linked to the current
          directory (directory).

     file1
          Specifies the file that will be symbolically linked to
          file2.

     file2
          Specifies the file that will be symbolically linked to
          file1.

     -s   Causes ln to create symbolic links.

DESCRIPTION
     A link is a directory entry referring to a file; the same
     file (together with its size, all its protection
     information, 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
     superuser) may not refer to directories.





January 1992                                                    1

ln(1)                                                       ln(1)



     A symbolic link contains the name of the file to which it is
     linked.  The referenced file is used when an open operation
     is performed on the link.  A stat on a symbolic link will
     return the linked-to file; an lstat must be done to obtain
     information about the link.  The readlink call may be used
     to read the contents of a symbolic link.  Symbolic links may
     span file systems and may refer to directories.

     The ln command may be invoked with one, two, or more than
     two arguments.  If given one argument, ln creates a link in
     the current directory to file1.  The file named by file1
     must not already exist in the current directory, or ln will
     exit with the message file1: File exists.

     Given two arguments, ln creates a link to an existing file
     file1 having the name file2.  The argument file2 may also be
     a directory in which to place the link.  If only the
     directory is specified, the link will be made to the last
     component of file1.  If file1 is not found, ln will so
     indicate and no link will be created.  If file2 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.

     Any files or directories located in directory1 will also be
     found in directory2.  Moreover, new files created in either
     directory will appear in the other.

FILES
     /bin/ln
          Executable file

SEE ALSO
     cp(1), mv(1), rm(1)

     link(2), stat(2), readlink(2), stat(2), symlink(2) in A/UX
     Programmer's Reference
















2                                                    January 1992