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link(S)


link -- link to a file

Syntax

cc ... -lc

int link (path, newpath)
char *path, *newpath;

Description

The path argument points to a path name naming an existing file. The newpath argument points to a path name naming the new directory entry to be created. The link system call creates a new link (directory entry) for the existing file.

Upon successful completion, link marks for update the ``st_ctime'' and ``st_mtime'' fields of the parent directory. Also, the ``st_ctime'' and ``st_mtime'' fields of the file are marked for update.

The link system call fails and no link is created if one or more of the following is true:


[EACCES]
1. A component of either path prefix denies search permission.
2. The requested link requires writing in a directory with a mode that denies write permission.

[EEXIST]
The link named by newpath exists.

[EFAULT]
path points outside the allocated address space of the process.

[EINTR]
A signal was caught during the link system call.

[EMLINK]
The maximum number of links to a file would be exceeded.

[EMULTIHOP]
Components of path require hopping to multiple remote machines.

[ENOENT]
1. A component of either path prefix does not exist.
2. The file named by path does not exist.
3. newpath points to a null path name.

[ENOLINK]
path points to a remote machine and the link to that machine is no longer active.

[ENOSPC]
The directory containing the link cannot be extended.

[ENOTDIR]
A component of either path prefix is not a directory.

[EPERM]
The file named by path is a directory and the effective user ID is not super user.

[EROFS]
The requested link requires writing in a directory on a read-only file system.

[EXDEV]
The link named by newpath and the file named by path are on different logical devices (file systems).

Diagnostics

Upon successful completion, a value of 0 is returned. Otherwise, a value of -1 is returned, and errno is set to indicate the error.

See also

stat(S), unlink(S)

Standards conformance

link is conformant with:

X/Open Portability Guide, Issue 3, 1989 ;
IEEE POSIX Std 1003.1-1990 System Application Program Interface (API) [C Language] (ISO/IEC 9945-1) ;
and NIST FIPS 151-1 .


© 2003 Caldera International, Inc. All rights reserved.
SCO OpenServer Release 5.0.7 -- 11 February 2003