copying over a symlink

acid_kewpie · 09-22-2002, 05:36 PM

does anyone else think that the logic behind this is a bit odd?

Code:

root@trevor root]# ln -s target link
[root@trevor root]# ls -l target link
ls: target: No such file or directory
   0 lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root            6 Sep 22 23:31 link -> target
[root@trevor root]# cp arealfile link 
cp: overwrite `link'? y
[root@trevor root]# ls -l target link
   0 lrwxrwxrwx    1 root     root            6 Sep 22 23:31 link -> target
4.0K -rw-r--r--    1 root     root          632 Sep 22 23:32 target

now i can see the logic in say, an redirection into a symlink being transferred over to the target file, but surely if you replace a symlink with a file, then that's what should happen. or do other people think it's logical?

trickykid · 09-22-2002, 05:46 PM

Like we were discussing online, I don't think its odd.

Cause when your copying a file to an existing link, its not overwriting the link but the file the link points to. The link is just the shortcut to the file.

MasterC · 09-23-2002, 05:34 PM

I would think it's odd. I see the reasoning that Tricky has provided, but I would think that it would simply overwrite the symlink with the new file, not the linked file. But...

Since you are making a soft link, maybe that might explain it. What if you do the same thing using hard links?

trickykid · 09-23-2002, 05:59 PM

Bascially though any link copied over won't cause that is all a link is, it points to another file, etc. So when copying over to a symlink or a hardlink, all its going to do is say "hey, I'm gonna copy this to where I'm linking too, but won't let it copy over me cause all I am here to do is point you to my file I link to

!"

acid_kewpie · 09-24-2002, 03:50 AM

but if you delete a symlink, does it delete the file it points to instead?

NB. That is a RHETORICAL question... Just in case...

trickykid · 09-24-2002, 08:26 AM

No. Cause your only removing the link that way. Same as if you delete the file and not the link, it just turns into a broken link.