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link(2)
NAME
  link - Create 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():  XSH4.0, XSH4.2, XSH5.0

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

PARAMETERS
  path1
      Points to the pathname of an existing file.

  path2
      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:

  [EACCES]
      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.

  [EDQUOT]
      [Tru64 UNIX]  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.

  [EEXIST]
      The link named by the path2 parameter already exists.

  [EFAULT]
      [Tru64 UNIX]  The path1 or path2 parameter is an invalid address.

  [EIO]
      [Tru64 UNIX]  An I/O error occurred when updating the directory.

  [ELOOP]
      Too many links were encountered in translating path1 or path2.

  [EMLINK]
      The number of links to the file named by path1 would exceed LINK_MAX.

  [ENAMETOOLONG]
      The length of the path1 or path2 string exceeds PATH_MAX or a pathname
      component is longer than NAME_MAX.

  [ENOENT]
      The file named by the path1 parameter does not exist or the path1 or
      path2 parameter is an empty string.

  [ENOSPC]
      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.

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

  [EPERM]
      The file named by the path1 parameter is a directory.

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

  [EXDEV]
      The link named by the path2 parameter and the file named by the path1
      parameter are on different file systems, or path1 refers to a STREAM.

  [Tru64 UNIX]	For NFS file access, if the link() function fails, errno may
  also be set to one of the following values:

  [ENFILE]
      Indicates that the system file table is full or there are too many
      files currently open in the system.

  [ESTALE]
      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.

SEE ALSO
  Commands: link(1), unlink(1)

  Functions: symlink(2), unlink(2)

  Others: standards(5)

Index for Section 2

Alphabetical listing for L

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