symlink(2)							System Calls Manual							symlink(2)

NAME

       symlink - Makes a symbolic link to a file

SYNOPSIS

       #include <unistd.h>

       int symlink (	  const char *path1,	  const char *path2 );

STANDARDS

       Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry standards as follows:

       symlink():  XSH5.0

       Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about industry standards and associated tags.

PARAMETERS

       Specifies the contents of the symbolic link to create.  Names the symbolic link to be created.

DESCRIPTION

       The  symlink()  function creates a symbolic link with the name specified by the path2 parameter which refers to the file named by the path1
       parameter.

       Like a hard link (described in the link() function), a symbolic link allows a file to have multiple names. The  presence  of  a	hard  link
       guarantees  the	existence  of a file, even after the original name has been removed.  A symbolic link provides no such assurance; in fact,
       the file named by the path1 parameter need not exist when the link is created.  Unlike hard links, a symbolic link can  cross  file  system
       boundaries.

       When  a component of a pathname refers to a symbolic link rather than a directory, the pathname contained in the symbolic link is resolved.
       If the pathname in the symbolic link starts with a / (slash), the symbolic link pathname is resolved relative to the  process  root  direc-
       tory.   If the pathname in the symbolic link does not start with a / (slash), the symbolic link pathname is resolved relative to the direc-
       tory that contains the symbolic link.

       If the symbolic link is the last component of the original pathname, remaining components of the original pathname are appended to the con-
       tents of the link and pathname resolution continues.

       The symbolic link pathname may or may not be traversed, depending on which function is being performed.	Most functions traverse the link.

       The  functions  which refer only to the symbolic link itself, rather than to the object to which the link refers, are: An error is returned
       if a symbolic link is named by the path2 parameter.  If the file specified is a symbolic link, the status of the link itself  is  returned.
       An  error is returned if a symbolic link is named as the path parameter.  This call applies only to symbolic links.  A symbolic link can be
       removed by invoking the remove() function.  If the file to be renamed is a symbolic link, the symbolic link is renamed.	If  the  new  name
       refers  to an existing symbolic link, the symbolic link is destroyed.  An error is returned if a symbolic link is named as the path parame-
       ter.  An error is returned if the symbolic link named by the path2 parameter already exists.  A symbolic link can be created that refers to
       another symbolic link; that is, the path1 parameter can refer to a symbolic link.  A symbolic link can be removed by invoking unlink().

       Search  access to the symbolic link is required to traverse the pathname contained therein.  Normal permission checks are made on each com-
       ponent of the symbolic link pathname during its resolution.

       A Context Dependent Symbolic Link (CDSL) is a symbolic link that has a variable in the path name.  The variable is resolved differently for
       each  member system in a cluster.  If the system is not a member of a cluster, the variable is resolved as if it were member0 of a cluster.
       See hier(5) for more information about CDSLs and the cdslinvchk(8) refernce page for information about checking the CDSL file inventory

RETURN VALUES

       Upon successful completion, the symlink() function returns a value of 0 (zero). If the symlink() function fails, a value of -1 is  returned
       and errno is set to indicate the error.

ERRORS

       If  the	symlink() function fails, errno may be set to one of the following values: The requested operation requires writing in a directory
       with a mode that denies write permission, or search permission is denied on a component of path2.  The directory in which the entry for the
       symbolic  link  is  being placed cannot be extended because the user's quota of disk blocks on the file system containing the directory has
       been exhausted.	The path specified by the path2 parameter already exists.  Too many symbolic links are found in  translating  path2.   The
       length  of  the	path1  parameter  or  path2  parameter	exceeds  PATH_MAX,  or a pathname component of path2 is longer than NAME_MAX while
       {_POSIX_NO_TRUNC} is in effect.	The path2 parameter points to a null pathname, or a component of path2 does not exist.	The  directory	in
       which  the  entry for the symbolic link is being placed cannot be extended because there is no space left on the file system containing the
       directory.

	      The new symbolic link cannot be created because there is no space left on the file system which would contain the link.

	      There are no free inodes on the file system on which the file is being created.  The operation is not applicable for this file  sys-
	      tem  type.   A  component  of path2 is not a directory.  The requested operation requires writing in a directory on a read-only file
	      system.  [Tru64 UNIX]  For NFS file access, if the symlink() function fails, errno may also be set to one of the	following  values:
	      Indicates  either  that  the  system file table is full, or that there are too many files currently open in the system.  Indicates a
	      stale NFS file handle.  An opened file was deleted by the server or another client; a client cannot open a file because  the  server
	      has  unmounted  or unexported the remote directory; or the directory that contains an opened file was either unmounted or unexported
	      by the server.

RELATED INFORMATION

       Functions: link(2), readlink(2), unlink(2)

       Commands: ln(1), cdslinvchk(1)

       Files:  hier(5)

       Standards: standards(5) delim off

																	symlink(2)