ln unix command?

External Since: Jun 28, 2003 Posts: 585

The reason I want to figure out exactly how to use this is that I am trying
to include a file in a .shtml document that is not in that documents
directory.

I have to do this 10 times and it would be really pointless to have to
upload
it 10 times(once to each of 10 directories) and then do it again if I edit
the
include.

I found this information(and many more like it) on the web that tells how to
do it but doesn't say 'where' to do it.

Ln command.
Instead of copying you can also make links to existing files using ln
command.
If you want to create a link to a file called coolfile in /usr/local/bin
directory then you can enter this command.
ln mycoolfile /usr/local/bin/coolfile

Some examples:
a.. ln -s fileone filetwo will create a symbolic link and can exist across
machines.
b.. ln -n option will not overwrite existing files.
c.. ln -f will force the link to occur.
if anyone can shed some light on the 'where' (i.e. the page I want the
include on, somewhere else? etc. ) part I would be most grateful. Wink

--
Heidi
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External Since: Apr 24, 2004 Posts: 86

Heidi <blackcat2.RemoveThis@zwallet.com> wrote:
> Ln command.
> Instead of copying you can also make links to existing files using ln
> command.
> If you want to create a link to a file called coolfile in /usr/local/bin
> directory then you can enter this command.
> ln mycoolfile /usr/local/bin/coolfile

Symbolic (and hard) links are a very useful UNIX tool, however you
really need to be careful not to get too carried away with them or it
becomes impossible to figure out which file your editing! Smile

(symlinks
can turn into a rats nest in a hurry)

ln -s source destination

Where source is the real file, (or, GASP another symbolic link)
and destination is where you'd like to place the symbolic link.

Try to keep everything relative if at all possible, because if your ISP
ever changes your HOME directory to another location or you need to move
the whole tree you'll have a bunch of broken symbolic links that need
fixing.

Symlinks are handy for times when a copy would work, but you don't want
to have to update each copy every time the source file is edited, or
want to avoid differences in versions.

Probably more than you wanted to know, but...

You can also use hard links, which is rare (won't work across
partitions) but useful if you want to prevent a file from being deleted:

ln source destination

rm source

cat destination

If you've ever heard someone say "unlink a file" instead of "delete a
file", hard links sort of illustrate how file systems work, and why the
term "unlink" is actually more appropriate.

Jamie

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