link.2 (2010 09)
l
link(2) link(2)
NAME
link() - link to a file
SYNOPSIS
#include <unistd.h>
int link(const char *path1, const char *path2);
DESCRIPTION
The link() system call creates a new link (directory entry) for the existing file. path1 points to a path
name naming an existing file. path2 points to a path name naming the new directory entry to be created.
RETURN VALUE
Upon successful completion,
link() returns zero. Otherwise, it returns − 1 and sets
errno (see
errno(2)) to indicate the error.
ERRORS
The
link() system call fails and no link is created if one or more of the following is true:
[EACCES] A component of either path prefix denies search permission.
[EACCES] The requested link requires writing in a directory that does not permit writing.
[EDQUOT] The user’s or group’s disk quota block limit has been reached for this file system.
[EEXIST] The link named by path2 exists.
[EFAULT] path points outside the allocated address space of the process. The reliable detec-
tion of this error is implementation dependent.
[ELOOP] Too many symbolic links were encountered in translating either path name.
[EMLINK] The maximum number of links to a file would be exceeded.
[ENAMETOOLONG]
Either the specified path exceeds
PATH_MAX bytes, or a component of either
specified path exceeds NAME_MAX while POSIX_NO_TRUNC
is in effect.
[ENOENT] The file named by path1 does not exist.
[ENOENT] A component of either path prefix does not exist.
[ENOENT] path2 points to a null path name.
[ENOENT] path1 or path2 is null.
[ENOSPC] The directory to contain the file cannot be extended.
[ENOTDIR] A component of either path prefix is not a directory.
[EPERM] The file named by path1 is a directory and the effective user ID is not a user who
has appropriate privileges. Some file systems return this error whenever path1
names a directory, regardless of the user ID.
[EROFS] The requested link requires writing in a directory on a read-only file system.
[EXDEV] The link named by path2 and the file named by path1 are on different logical dev-
ices (file systems).
SEE ALSO
cp(1), link(1M), symlink(2), unlink(2), symlink(4), privileges(5).
STANDARDS CONFORMANCE
link(): AES, SVID2, SVID3, XPG2, XPG3, XPG4, FIPS 151-2, POSIX.1
HP-UX 11i Version 3: September 2010 − 1 − Hewlett-Packard Company 1