link(2) link(2)
NAME
link - link to a file
SYNOPSIS
#include <unistd.h>
int link(const char *path1, const char *path2);
DESCRIPTION
path1 points to a path name naming an existing file. path2 points to
a path name naming the new directory entry to be created. link
creates a new link (directory entry) for the existing file and
increments its link count by one.
Upon successful completion, link marks for update the st_ctime field
of the file. Also, the st_ctime and st_mtime fields of the directory
that contains the new entry are marked for update.
link will fail and no link will be created if one or more of the
following are true:
EACCES A component of either path prefix denies search
permission.
EACCES The requested link requires writing in a
directory with a mode that denies write
permission.
EEXIST The link named by path2 exists.
EFAULT path points outside the allocated address space
of the process.
EINTR A signal was caught during the link system call.
ELOOP Too many symbolic links were encountered in
translating path.
EMLINK The maximum number of links to a file would be
exceeded.
EMULTIHOP Components of path require hopping to multiple
remote machines and file system type does not
allow it.
ENAMETOOLONG The length of the path1 or path2 argument exceeds
{PATH_MAX}, or the length of a path1 or path2
component exceeds {NAME_MAX} while
_POSIX_NO_TRUNC is in effect.
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link(2) link(2)
ENOTDIR A component of either path prefix is not a
directory.
ENOENT path1 or path2 is a null path name.
ENOENT A component of either path prefix does not exist.
ENOENT The file named by path1 does not exist.
ENOLINK path points to a remote machine and the link to
that machine is no longer active.
ENOSPC the directory that would contain the link cannot
be extended.
EPERM The file named by path1 is a directory and the
effective user ID is not super-user.
EROFS The requested link requires writing in a
directory on a read-only file system.
EXDEV The link named by path2 and the file named by
path1 are on different logical devices (file
systems).
SEE ALSO
unlink(2).
DIAGNOSTICS
Upon successful completion, a value of 0 is returned. Otherwise, a
value of -1 is returned and errno is set to indicate the error.
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