LN linux command manual

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, 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               May 2004                             LN(1)