LN(1)                    DOMAIN/IX SYS5                     LN(1)



NAME
     ln - create a hard or soft link

USAGE
     ln name [ target ]
     ln -s name target
     ln name ... directory

DESCRIPTION
     Ln creates both hard and soft links.  A link is a directory
     entry that refers to a file.  It is perfectly legal to have
     several links, in one or more directories, to the same file.
     Changes to a file are effective whether or not the file is
     referenced through a link.

     A hard link is indistinguishable from the original directory
     entry. Hard links may not span file systems and may not
     refer to directories.

     A soft (or symbolic) link contains a pathname.  Symbolic
     links may span file systems and may refer to directories.

     An open(2) operation on a link opens the referenced file.  A
     stat(2) on a soft link is equivalent to a stat on the file
     that the link points to.  Use lstat(2) to obtain information
     about the link itself.  The readlink(2) call is useful for
     reading the contents of a soft link.

     Given one or two arguments, ln creates a link to an existing
     file name.  If target is given, the link has that name.  The
     target argument may also be a directory in which to place
     the link.  If target is not a directory, the link is placed
     in the current directory.

     When the -s option is used, ln requires that a target be
     specified.  If target exists, ln -s will fail.  If only the
     directory is specified, the link is made to the last com-
     ponent of name.

     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.

OPTIONS
     By default, ln generates a hard link.

     -f        Force creation of the link if permitted by access
               modes (hard links only).

     -s        Create soft (symbolic) links.



Printed 12/4/86                                              LN-1

LN(1)                    DOMAIN/IX SYS5                     LN(1)



RELATED INFORMATION
     cp(1)
     mv(1)
     rm(1)
     link(2)
     readlink(2)
     lstat(2)
     stat(2)













































LN-2                                              Printed 12/4/86