12-11-2008
There are 2 types of links; symbolic links, which refer to a symbolic path indicating the abstract location of another file, and hard links, which refer to the specific location of physical data. A Link count shows how many directory entries link to the file.
A file's link count is displayed in the second column of output from the ls -l . This number represents the total number of links that have been created to point to the data. Each time a new link is created, this value is increased by 1. When a link is removed, the value is decreased by 1. It keeps a count so when you do rm commands against a 'copy' of the file the link count gets decremented, when it reaches 0 the actual file is, finally, deleted.
Any number of hard links to physical data may be created. Links can be created by using the ln command
more info here on link counts-
http://teaching.idallen.com/cst8129/...nd_inodes.html
The Answer Guy 35: Listing "Just the Links": It's the only way, Luke
Last edited by techlinux; 12-11-2008 at 03:03 PM..
Reason: edit url
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LN(1) BSD General Commands Manual LN(1)
NAME
ln -- make links
SYNOPSIS
ln [-fhinsv] source_file [target_file]
ln [-fhinsv] source_file ... target_dir
DESCRIPTION
The ln utility creates a new directory entry (linked file) which has the same modes as the original file. It is useful for maintaining mul-
tiple copies of a file in many places at once without using up storage for the ``copies''; instead, a link ``points'' to the original copy.
There are two types of links: hard links and symbolic links. How a link ``points'' to a file is one of the differences between a hard or
symbolic link.
The options are as follows:
-f Unlink any already existing file, permitting the link to occur.
-h If the target_file or target_dir is a symbolic link, do not follow it. This is most useful with the -f option, to replace a symlink
which may point to a directory.
-i Cause ln to write a prompt to standard error if the target file exists. If the response from the standard input begins with the char-
acter 'y' or 'Y', then unlink the target file so that the link may occur. Otherwise, do not attempt the link. (The -i option over-
rides any previous -f options.)
-n Same as -h, for compatibility with other ln implementations, namely GNU coreutils.
-s Create a symbolic link.
-v Cause ln to be verbose, showing files as they are processed.
By default ln makes hard links. A hard link to a file is indistinguishable from the original directory entry; any changes to a file are
effective independent of the name used to reference the file. Hard links may not normally refer to directories and may not span file sys-
tems.
A symbolic link contains the name of the file to which it is linked. The referenced file is used when an open(2) operation is performed on
the link. A stat(2) on a symbolic link will return the linked-to file; an lstat(2) must be done to obtain information about the link. The
readlink(2) call may be used to read the contents of a symbolic link. Symbolic links may span file systems and may refer to directories.
Given one or two arguments, ln creates a link to an existing file source_file. If target_file is given, the link has that name; target_file
may also be a directory in which to place the link; otherwise it is placed in the current directory. If only the directory is specified, the
link will be made to the last component of source_file.
Given more than two arguments, ln makes links in target_dir to all the named source files. The links made will have the same name as the
files being linked to.
SEE ALSO
link(2), lstat(2), readlink(2), stat(2), symlink(2), symlink(7)
STANDARDS
The ln utility conforms to IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (``POSIX.2'').
The -v option is an extension to IEEE Std 1003.2-1992 (``POSIX.2'').
HISTORY
A ln utility appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.
BSD
October 29, 2007 BSD