link(2) 							System Calls Manual							   link(2)

NAME

       link - Creates a hard link to an existing file on the local file system

SYNOPSIS

       #include <unistd.h>

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

STANDARDS

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

       link():	XSH5.0

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

PARAMETERS

       Points  to the pathname of an existing file.  Points to the pathname for the directory entry to be created.  If the path2 parameter names a
       symbolic link, an error is returned.

DESCRIPTION

       The link() function creates an additional hard link (directory entry) for an existing file.  The old and the new link  share  equal  access
       rights  to the underlying object.  The link() function atomically creates a new link for the existing file and increments the link count of
       the file by one.

       Both the path1 and  path2 parameters must reside on the same file system. A hard link to a directory cannot be created.

       Upon successful completion, the link() function marks the st_ctime field of the file for update, and marks the st_ctime and st_mtime fields
       of the directory containing the new entry for update.

       A process must have write permission in the target directory with respect to all access control policies configured on the system.

       See symlink(2) for information about making symbolic links, including Context Dependent Symbolic Links (CDSLs).

RETURN VALUES

       Upon  successful  completion,  the link() function returns a value of 0 (zero). If the link() function fails, a value of -1 is returned, no
       link is created, and errno is set to indicate the error.

ERRORS

       If the link() function fails, errno may be set to one of the following values: The requested link requires writing in a	directory  with  a
       mode  that  denies  write  permission,  or a component of either the path1 or path2 parameter denies search permission.	The requested link
       requires writing in a directory to which the process does not have write access with respect to one or  more  of  the  system's	configured
       access  policies.   The	directory  in which the entry for the new 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 link named by the path2 parameter already exists.  The path1 or
       path2 parameter is an invalid address.  [Tru64 UNIX] An I/O error occurred when updating the directory.	Too many links were encountered in
       translating path1 or path2.  The number of links to the file named by path1 would exceed LINK_MAX.  The length of the path1 or path2 string
       exceeds	PATH_MAX  or  a  pathname component is longer than NAME_MAX.  The file named by the path1 parameter does not exist or the path1 or
       path2 parameter is an empty string.  The directory in which the entry for the new link is being placed cannot be extended because there	is
       no  space  left	on the file system containing the directory.  A component of either path prefix is not a directory.  The file named by the
       path1 parameter is a directory.	The requested link requires writing in a directory on a read-only file system.	 The  link  named  by  the
       path2 parameter and the file named by the path1 parameter are on different file systems.

       [Tru64  UNIX]  For  NFS file access, if the link() function fails, errno may also be set to one of the following values: Indicates that the
       system file table is full or 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 unmounted or unexported by the server.

RELATED INFORMATION

       Commands: link(1), unlink(1)

       Functions: unlink(2), symlink(2)

       Standards: standards(5) delim off

																	   link(2)