4.4BSD/usr/share/man/cat2/symlink.0

SYMLINK(2)                  BSD Programmer's Manual                 SYMLINK(2)

NNAAMMEE
     ssyymmlliinnkk - make symbolic link to a file

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
     ##iinncclluuddee <<uunniissttdd..hh>>

     _i_n_t
     ssyymmlliinnkk(_c_o_n_s_t _c_h_a_r _*_n_a_m_e_1, _c_o_n_s_t _c_h_a_r _*_n_a_m_e_2);

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
     A symbolic link _n_a_m_e_2 is created to _n_a_m_e_1 (_n_a_m_e_2 is the name of the file
     created, _n_a_m_e_1 is the string used in creating the symbolic link).  Either
     name may be an arbitrary path name; the files need not be on the same
     file system.

RREETTUURRNN VVAALLUUEESS
     Upon successful completion, a zero value is returned.  If an error oc-
     curs, the error code is stored in _e_r_r_n_o and a -1 value is returned.

EERRRROORRSS
     The symbolic link succeeds unless:

     [ENOTDIR]
               A component of the _n_a_m_e_2 prefix is not a directory.

     [EINVAL]  Either _n_a_m_e_1 or _n_a_m_e_2 contains a character with the high-order
               bit set.

     [ENAMETOOLONG]
               A component of either pathname exceeded 255 characters, or the
               entire length of either path name exceeded 1023 characters.

     [ENOENT]  The named file does not exist.

     [EACCES]  A component of the _n_a_m_e_2 path prefix denies search permission.

     [ELOOP]   Too many symbolic links were encountered in translating the
               pathname.

     [EEXIST]  _N_a_m_e_2 already exists.

     [EIO]     An I/O error occurred while making the directory entry for
               _n_a_m_e_2, or allocating the inode for _n_a_m_e_2, or writing out the
               link contents of _n_a_m_e_2.

     [EROFS]   The file _n_a_m_e_2 would reside on a read-only file system.

     [ENOSPC]  The directory in which the entry for the new symbolic link is
               being placed cannot be extended because there is no space left
               on the file system containing the directory.

     [ENOSPC]  The new symbolic link cannot be created because there there is
               no space left on the file system that will contain the symbolic
               link.

     [ENOSPC]  There are no free inodes on the file system on which the sym-
               bolic link is being created.

     [EDQUOT]  The directory in which the entry for the new symbolic 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.

     [EDQUOT]  The new symbolic link cannot be created because the user's quo-
               ta of disk blocks on the file system that will contain the sym-
               bolic link has been exhausted.

     [EDQUOT]  The user's quota of inodes on the file system on which the sym-
               bolic link is being created has been exhausted.

     [EIO]     An I/O error occurred while making the directory entry or allo-
               cating the inode.

     [EFAULT]  _N_a_m_e_1 or _n_a_m_e_2 points outside the process's allocated address
               space.

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
     link(2),  ln(1),  unlink(2)

HHIISSTTOORRYY
     The ssyymmlliinnkk function call appeared in 4.2BSD.

4.2 Berkeley Distribution        June 4, 1993                                2