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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, sym-
bolic 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 (C) 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 PARTICU-
LAR 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 August 2006 LN(1)
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