LN(1)									FSF								     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, symbolic 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
	      hard link directories (super-user only)

       -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 SIMPLE_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 <bug-coreutils@gnu.org>.

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (C) 2002 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 ln

       should give you access to the complete manual.

ln (coreutils) 4.5.3						   February 2003							     LN(1)