LN(1)                            User Commands                           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
              allow the superuser to attempt to hard link  directories  (note:
              will  probably  fail  due  to  system restrictions, even for the
              superuser)

       -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  SIM-
       PLE_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 .© 2004 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 PARTICULAR
       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 coreutils ln

       should give you access to the complete manual.



ln (coreutils) 5.2.1             October 2004                            LN(1)