05-07-2002
You have an explanation about hard links and soft links wiyh directories.
An explanation with files could be:
A file is referenced in the system by a i-node number, when you create a
file, the OS assign an i-node number to the file_name.
example:
a- create a file "pp"
echo "hard_soft_link_inode?" >> pp
b- list the file
ls -l pp
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 22 May 07 18:39 pp
The number 1 is the number of hard links that the file has.
c- view the i-node number of pp assigned by the system:
ls -i pp
24 pp
the 24 number is the i-node number
d- when you make a hard link, the count of i-nodes of the file
is increased by 1 (and when you unlink the the hard link the number
is decreased by 1):
ln pp hard_link_to_pp
ln pp hard_link2_to_pp
ls -l pp
-rw-r--r-- 3 root system 22 May 07 18:39 pp
ls -i hard_link_to_pp
24 hard_link_to_pp
ls -i hard_link2_to_pp
24 hard_link_to_pp
if you remove the original file (you can access the file content by the
hard link)
rm pp
cat hard_link_to_pp
hard_soft_link_inode?
when you use the unlink command the i-node count decrease by 1:
unlink hard_link_to_pp
ls -l hard_link2_to_pp
-rw-r--r-- 1 root system 22 May 07 18:39 hard_link2_to_pp
if you unlink/rm again you lost the file.
Note: I prefer to use the unlink command over a hard link over the rm command.
The soft link is a pointer that could be point to nothing, to a file in the
same FS, or to a file in other FS (recommended use). To create a soft link
you need to use the "-s" flag of the "ln command".
A common use of hard links is some scripts in the rcX.d (X=1,2,3,S) that
are associated to files in the init.d directory. Use the "ls -i" in rc3.d and in the
init.d directories.
Good luck with your test, and sorry with my poor english.
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LEARN ABOUT HPUX
list_link
list link(1m) list link(1m)
NAME
list link - Displays a list of all the soft links whose names match the link name that you specify
SYNOPSIS
cdscp list link link-name [with attribute-name = attribute-value]
ARGUMENTS
The full name of a specific soft link. The last simple name can contain wildcard characters. The name of a particular attribute. The
value of a particular attribute.
DESCRIPTION
The list link command displays a list of all the soft links whose names match the link name that you specify. The last simple name can
contain wildcard characters. You can use a with attribute-name = attribute-value clause to limit output only to soft links whose
attributes have values equal to the specified values. A space must precede and follow the = (equals sign). This command does not list the
name of the directory, object entry, or other soft link to which the soft link points.
Privilege Required
You must have read permission to the directory that stores the soft link. If you use a with attribute-name = attribute-value clause in
the command, you also need read or test permission to the selected soft links.
NOTE
This command is replaced at Revision 1.1 by the dcecp command and may not be provided in future releases of DCE.
EXAMPLE
The following command displays a list of all the soft links whose names begin with the letter l in the directory /.:/admin. cdscp> list
link /.:/admin/l*
LIST
SOFTLINK /.../abc.com/admin
AT 1991-10-15-15:54:38 lnk01 lnk02 lnk03 lnk04 lnk05 lnk06
RELATED INFORMATION
Commands: create link(1m), delete link(1m), remove link(1m), set link(1m), show link(1m)
list link(1m)