ln: create symlink using another symlink

up vote
1
down vote

favorite

Let's suppose I have one file and one directory:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
total 4
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
-rw-rw-r--. 1 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file

I created symlink to file called symlink1, and symlink to dir called dirslink1:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 3 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink1 -> dir
-rw-rw-r--. 5 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 4 Oct 8 09:53 symlink1 -> file

Now I created symlinks to symlink1 using ln -s and ln -sL:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -s symlink1 symlink2
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -sL symlink1 symlink3
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -s dirslink1 dirslink2
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -sL dirslink1 dirslink3

Now, as fat as I understand symlink3 should point to file and dirslink3 should point to dir. But when I check it, none of the symlink[23] and dirslink [23] points to the original file/directory:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 3 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink1 -> dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 9 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink2 -> dirslink1
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 9 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink3 -> dirslink1
-rw-rw-r--. 5 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 4 Oct 8 09:53 symlink1 -> file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 8 Oct 8 09:54 symlink2 -> symlink1
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 8 Oct 8 09:54 symlink3 -> symlink1

The question is: Is it possible/How to create symlink to original file using another symlink?

asked 45 mins ago

mrc02_kr

759319

add a commentÂ |Â

up vote
1
down vote

favorite

Let's suppose I have one file and one directory:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
total 4
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
-rw-rw-r--. 1 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file

I created symlink to file called symlink1, and symlink to dir called dirslink1:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 3 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink1 -> dir
-rw-rw-r--. 5 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 4 Oct 8 09:53 symlink1 -> file

Now I created symlinks to symlink1 using ln -s and ln -sL:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -s symlink1 symlink2
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -sL symlink1 symlink3
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -s dirslink1 dirslink2
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -sL dirslink1 dirslink3

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 3 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink1 -> dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 9 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink2 -> dirslink1
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 9 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink3 -> dirslink1
-rw-rw-r--. 5 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 4 Oct 8 09:53 symlink1 -> file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 8 Oct 8 09:54 symlink2 -> symlink1
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 8 Oct 8 09:54 symlink3 -> symlink1

The question is: Is it possible/How to create symlink to original file using another symlink?

asked 45 mins ago

mrc02_kr

759319

add a commentÂ |Â

up vote
1
down vote

favorite

Let's suppose I have one file and one directory:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
total 4
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
-rw-rw-r--. 1 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file

I created symlink to file called symlink1, and symlink to dir called dirslink1:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 3 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink1 -> dir
-rw-rw-r--. 5 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 4 Oct 8 09:53 symlink1 -> file

Now I created symlinks to symlink1 using ln -s and ln -sL:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -s symlink1 symlink2
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -sL symlink1 symlink3
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -s dirslink1 dirslink2
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -sL dirslink1 dirslink3

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 3 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink1 -> dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 9 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink2 -> dirslink1
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 9 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink3 -> dirslink1
-rw-rw-r--. 5 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 4 Oct 8 09:53 symlink1 -> file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 8 Oct 8 09:54 symlink2 -> symlink1
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 8 Oct 8 09:54 symlink3 -> symlink1

The question is: Is it possible/How to create symlink to original file using another symlink?

asked 45 mins ago

mrc02_kr

759319

Let's suppose I have one file and one directory:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
total 4
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
-rw-rw-r--. 1 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file

I created symlink to file called symlink1, and symlink to dir called dirslink1:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 3 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink1 -> dir
-rw-rw-r--. 5 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 4 Oct 8 09:53 symlink1 -> file

Now I created symlinks to symlink1 using ln -s and ln -sL:

[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -s symlink1 symlink2
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -sL symlink1 symlink3
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -s dirslink1 dirslink2
[user@localhost Tests]$ ln -sL dirslink1 dirslink3

[user@localhost Tests]$ ls -l
drwxrwxr-x. 2 user user 4096 Oct 8 09:53 dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 3 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink1 -> dir
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 9 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink2 -> dirslink1
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 9 Oct 8 10:03 dirslink3 -> dirslink1
-rw-rw-r--. 5 user user 0 Oct 8 09:53 file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 4 Oct 8 09:53 symlink1 -> file
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 8 Oct 8 09:54 symlink2 -> symlink1
lrwxrwxrwx. 1 user user 8 Oct 8 09:54 symlink3 -> symlink1

The question is: Is it possible/How to create symlink to original file using another symlink?

bash ln

asked 45 mins ago

mrc02_kr

759319

asked 45 mins ago

mrc02_kr

759319

asked 45 mins ago

mrc02_kr

759319

asked 45 mins ago

mrc02_kr

759319

asked 45 mins ago

mrc02_kr

759319

add a commentÂ |Â

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

up vote
2
down vote

accepted

-L only works with hard links; as specified in POSIX:

If the -s option is specified, the -L and -P options shall be silently ignored.

If you have readlink you can use that:

ln -s -- "$(readlink symlink1)" symlink4

If your readlink supports the -f option, you can use that to fully canonicalise the target (i.e. resolve all symlinks in the targetÃ¢Â€Â™s path, if the target symlink includes other symlinks).

edited 25 mins ago

StÃ©phane Chazelas

287k53531868

answered 35 mins ago

Stephen Kitt

149k23331397

Great, this is actually what I'm looking for
â€“Â mrc02_kr
27 mins ago

Thanks @StÃ©phane, one day it will sink in :-/.
â€“Â Stephen Kitt
14 mins ago

add a commentÂ |Â

up vote
2
down vote

You can use cp -P to make a copy of a symlink:

cp -P symlink2 symlink3

Beware that if the target of the symlink is relative, the above would probably result in a broken link if the copy is not in the same directory as the original.

With zsh,

ln -s -- symlink2(:P) symlink3

Would create symlink3 as a symlink to the full canonical (symlink-free) path symlink2, like ln -s -- "$(readlink -f symlink2)" symlink3 but more reliable in that it would still work correctly if that path ended in newline characters.

edited 21 mins ago

answered 30 mins ago

StÃ©phane Chazelas

287k53531868

add a commentÂ |Â

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2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

2 Answers
2

active

oldest

votes

up vote
2
down vote

accepted

-L only works with hard links; as specified in POSIX:

If the -s option is specified, the -L and -P options shall be silently ignored.

If you have readlink you can use that:

ln -s -- "$(readlink symlink1)" symlink4

edited 25 mins ago

StÃ©phane Chazelas

287k53531868

answered 35 mins ago

Stephen Kitt

149k23331397

Great, this is actually what I'm looking for
â€“Â mrc02_kr
27 mins ago

Thanks @StÃ©phane, one day it will sink in :-/.
â€“Â Stephen Kitt
14 mins ago

add a commentÂ |Â

up vote
2
down vote

accepted

-L only works with hard links; as specified in POSIX:

If the -s option is specified, the -L and -P options shall be silently ignored.

If you have readlink you can use that:

ln -s -- "$(readlink symlink1)" symlink4

edited 25 mins ago

StÃ©phane Chazelas

287k53531868

answered 35 mins ago

Stephen Kitt

149k23331397

Great, this is actually what I'm looking for
â€“Â mrc02_kr
27 mins ago

Thanks @StÃ©phane, one day it will sink in :-/.
â€“Â Stephen Kitt
14 mins ago

add a commentÂ |Â

up vote
2
down vote

accepted

-L only works with hard links; as specified in POSIX:

If the -s option is specified, the -L and -P options shall be silently ignored.

If you have readlink you can use that:

ln -s -- "$(readlink symlink1)" symlink4

edited 25 mins ago

StÃ©phane Chazelas

287k53531868

answered 35 mins ago

Stephen Kitt

149k23331397

-L only works with hard links; as specified in POSIX:

If the -s option is specified, the -L and -P options shall be silently ignored.

If you have readlink you can use that:

ln -s -- "$(readlink symlink1)" symlink4

edited 25 mins ago

StÃ©phane Chazelas

287k53531868

answered 35 mins ago

Stephen Kitt

149k23331397

edited 25 mins ago

StÃ©phane Chazelas

287k53531868

edited 25 mins ago

StÃ©phane Chazelas

287k53531868

edited 25 mins ago

StÃ©phane Chazelas

287k53531868

answered 35 mins ago

Stephen Kitt

149k23331397

answered 35 mins ago

Stephen Kitt

149k23331397

answered 35 mins ago

Stephen Kitt

149k23331397

Great, this is actually what I'm looking for
â€“Â mrc02_kr
27 mins ago

add a commentÂ |Â

Great, this is actually what I'm looking for
â€“Â mrc02_kr
27 mins ago

Great, this is actually what I'm looking for
â€“Â mrc02_kr
27 mins ago

add a commentÂ |Â

up vote
2
down vote

You can use cp -P to make a copy of a symlink:

cp -P symlink2 symlink3

Beware that if the target of the symlink is relative, the above would probably result in a broken link if the copy is not in the same directory as the original.

With zsh,

ln -s -- symlink2(:P) symlink3

edited 21 mins ago

answered 30 mins ago

287k53531868

add a commentÂ |Â

up vote
2
down vote

You can use cp -P to make a copy of a symlink:

cp -P symlink2 symlink3

Beware that if the target of the symlink is relative, the above would probably result in a broken link if the copy is not in the same directory as the original.

With zsh,

ln -s -- symlink2(:P) symlink3

edited 21 mins ago

answered 30 mins ago

287k53531868

add a commentÂ |Â

up vote
2
down vote

You can use cp -P to make a copy of a symlink:

cp -P symlink2 symlink3

Beware that if the target of the symlink is relative, the above would probably result in a broken link if the copy is not in the same directory as the original.

With zsh,

ln -s -- symlink2(:P) symlink3

edited 21 mins ago

answered 30 mins ago

287k53531868

You can use cp -P to make a copy of a symlink:

cp -P symlink2 symlink3

Beware that if the target of the symlink is relative, the above would probably result in a broken link if the copy is not in the same directory as the original.

With zsh,

ln -s -- symlink2(:P) symlink3

edited 21 mins ago

answered 30 mins ago

287k53531868

edited 21 mins ago

answered 30 mins ago

287k53531868

answered 30 mins ago

287k53531868

answered 30 mins ago

287k53531868

add a commentÂ |Â

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