ln

LN(1) User Commands LN(1)

NAME

ln - make links between files


SYNOPSIS
ln [OPTION]... TARGET [LINK_

NAME

]
ln [OPTION]... TARGET... DIRECTORY
ln [OPTION]... --target-directory=DIRECTORY TARGET...

DESCRIPTION

Create a link to the specified TARGET with optional LINK_

NAME

. If
LINK_

NAME

is omitted, a link with the same basename as the TARGET is
created in the current directory. When using the second form with more
than one TARGET, the last argument must be a directory; create links
in DIRECTORY to each TARGET. Create hard links by default, symbolic
links with --symbolic. When creating hard links, each TARGET must
exist.

Mandatory arguments to long options are mandatory for short options
too.


--backup[=CONTROL]
make a backup of each existing destination file


-b like --backup but does not accept an argument


-d, -F, --directory
allow the superuser to attempt to hard link directories (note:
will probably fail due to system restrictions, even for the
superuser)


-f, --force
remove existing destination files


-n, --no-dereference
treat destination that is a symlink to a directory as if it were
a normal file


-i, --interactive
prompt whether to remove destinations


-s, --symbolic
make symbolic links instead of hard links


-S, --suffix=SUFFIX
override the usual backup suffix


--target-directory=DIRECTORY
specify the DIRECTORY in which to create the links


-v, --verbose
print name of each file before linking


--help display this help and exit


--version
output version information and exit


The backup suffix is "~", unless set with --suffix or SIM-
PLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX. The version control method may be selected via the
--backup option or through the VERSION_CONTROL environment variable.
Here are the values:


none, off
never make backups (even if --backup is given)


numbered, t
make numbered backups


existing, nil
numbered if numbered backups exist, simple otherwise


simple, never
always make simple backups

AUTHOR

Written by Mike Parker and David MacKenzie.


REPORTING BUGS
Report bugs to .

COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2004 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is
NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR
PURPOSE.



SEE ALSO

The full documentation for ln is maintained as a Texinfo manual. If
the info and ln programs are properly installed at your site, the com-
mand


info coreutils ln


should give you access to the complete manual.






ln (coreutils) 5.2.1 July 2004 LN(1)