1SYMLINK(2)                 Linux Programmer's Manual                SYMLINK(2)
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NAME

6       symlink, symlinkat - make a new name for a file
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SYNOPSIS

9       #include <unistd.h>
10
11       int symlink(const char *target, const char *linkpath);
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13       #include <fcntl.h>           /* Definition of AT_* constants */
14       #include <unistd.h>
15
16       int symlinkat(const char *target, int newdirfd, const char *linkpath);
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18   Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see feature_test_macros(7)):
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20       symlink():
21           _XOPEN_SOURCE >= 500 || _POSIX_C_SOURCE >= 200112L
22               || /* Glibc versions <= 2.19: */ _BSD_SOURCE
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24       symlinkat():
25           Since glibc 2.10:
26               _POSIX_C_SOURCE >= 200809L
27           Before glibc 2.10:
28               _ATFILE_SOURCE
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DESCRIPTION

31       symlink()  creates  a  symbolic  link named linkpath which contains the
32       string target.
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34       Symbolic links are interpreted at run time as if the  contents  of  the
35       link  had  been substituted into the path being followed to find a file
36       or directory.
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38       Symbolic links may contain ..  path components, which (if used  at  the
39       start of the link) refer to the parent directories of that in which the
40       link resides.
41
42       A symbolic link (also known as a soft link) may point  to  an  existing
43       file  or  to  a nonexistent one; the latter case is known as a dangling
44       link.
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46       The permissions of a symbolic link are  irrelevant;  the  ownership  is
47       ignored  when following the link, but is checked when removal or renam‐
48       ing of the link is requested and the link is in a  directory  with  the
49       sticky bit (S_ISVTX) set.
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51       If linkpath exists, it will not be overwritten.
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53   symlinkat()
54       The  symlinkat()  system  call operates in exactly the same way as sym‐
55       link(), except for the differences described here.
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57       If the pathname given in linkpath is relative, then it  is  interpreted
58       relative  to  the directory referred to by the file descriptor newdirfd
59       (rather than relative to the current working directory of  the  calling
60       process, as is done by symlink() for a relative pathname).
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62       If  linkpath  is  relative  and newdirfd is the special value AT_FDCWD,
63       then linkpath is interpreted relative to the current working  directory
64       of the calling process (like symlink()).
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66       If linkpath is absolute, then newdirfd is ignored.
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RETURN VALUE

69       On  success,  zero is returned.  On error, -1 is returned, and errno is
70       set appropriately.
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ERRORS

73       EACCES Write access to the directory containing linkpath is denied,  or
74              one  of  the  directories in the path prefix of linkpath did not
75              allow search permission.  (See also path_resolution(7).)
76
77       EDQUOT The user's  quota  of