[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$ ls
Desktop
Documents
E1.odt
GPG1.odt


[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$ cd Documents
[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 Documents]$ ls
CDcontents Linux_Forum_Questions
[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 Documents]$




[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# ln -s /Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt

[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$ ls
Desktop
Documents
E1.odt
GPG1.odt
VPN.txt
[The above shows that the 'ln' command worked fine because the file 'VPN.txt' is visible.]



[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$ cat VPN.txt
cat: VPN.txt: No such file or directory
[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$



[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$ file VPN.txt
VPN.txt: broken symbolic link to `/Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt'
[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$

Inside the 'Documents' folder, there is another folder called 'CDcontents'

In the folder 'CDcontents' , I have a file called 'VPN.txt'.
I make a symbolic link of it. The 'ln' command worked fine.

However the 'file' command tells me it is a broken link and the 'cat' command tells me there is no file.

What is the problem here?

When you use ln, you need to provide both the source (i.e. the file you're making a link to) and the destination (i.e. the actual link). See the man page for ln..

Thanks Nylex. I looked at the man pages. I don't like man pages, in first place.
It is written in the best unimpressive language.


I created a file called 't1'. I used the command 'touch' for the creation of this file.

[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$ touch t1
[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$ ls
Desktop
Documents
E1.odt
GPG1.odt
t1
[Here you see the new file 't1' .]

[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$ ln -s t1 /Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt
ln: creating symbolic link `/Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt' to `t1': No such file or directory
[Nissanka@c83-250-99-43 ~]$

What is the problem now?

ln -s t1 Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt

If ~/Documents is your target, you mean a relative path - you're giving an absolute with a 'Documents' directory off /.

Thanks digiot for the comments. However, I can't fathom out your comments.

The following didn't work.

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# ln -s t1 Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt
ln: creating symbolic link `Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt' to `t1': File exists
[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]#

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# cat t1
[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]#


[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# file t1
t1: empty
[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]#

There are several ways to specify paths:
/Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt # absolute, meaning 'ls /' would show 'Documents bin' and so on.
Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt # relative, meaning 'ls' would show 'Documents' and so on. Relative from current.
../Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt # relative, meaning 'one directory above'

You're describing a path that starts at the root directory '/' when it's actually /home/Nissanka/Documents.

As far as the 'file exists', you need to either 'rm' t1 or 'ln -sf' to force the link. A link would specify an existing file first and a non-existent link last. So, come to think of it, I guess you want:

ln -s Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt t1

Hope that's clearer, though I'm not sure it is.

-- I'm assuming here that 'ls ~/Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt' shows a file you want to link to and '~/t1' is the link you want to make and either doesn't exist or has no content. The command(s) I gave should work for that. If not, I'm misunderstanding your objective and you could try to explain it to me again.

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# rm t1
rm: remove regular empty file `t1'? y
[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]#

I removed the file.
-----------------------------------------------------

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# ls
Desktop
Documents
E1.odt
GPG1.odt
[So it is removed. You don't see it.]

---------------------------------------------------------

Then I created again.

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# touch t1
[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]#
----------------------------------------------------------

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# ls
Desktop
Documents
E1.odt
GPG1.odt
t1
[ Now it is there again.]

------------------------------------------------

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# ln -s Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt t1
ln: creating symbolic link `t1' to `Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt': File exists
[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]#

----------------------------------------------------

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# cat t1

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# file t1
t1: empty
[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]#

What is the problem now?

I would recommend that you get over this....Very often, the man pages will give you the answer in a flash---as a minimum, they will remind of what you have already read in a good manual or tutorial.

I think you have already been given the anwsers, but:

1. ln -s will happily make a bad link if the syntax is wrong.
2. ln -s is picky about path specifications: The safest way is to always give full paths. You can link INTO a directory--eg: "ln -s /dir1/dir2/filename linkname. I think that linking OUT can cause problems. AND--isn't there something about soft linking across partitions/drives??

Try your particular case first with full path names--just to be sure that that part works.

Recommended reading:
Bash Guide for Beginners, Machtelt Garrels Get it from: tldp.org
Linux in a Nutshell, published by O'Reilly (avail. thru Safari??)

Now I got it working.

You don't have to create a file called 't1'.

The following worked beautifully.

ln -s Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt t2
The system creates automatically file t2.

The 'cat' command and the 'file' command worked.

[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]# file t2
t2: symbolic link to `Documents/CDcontents/VPN.txt'
[root@c83-250-99-43 Nissanka]#

Pixellany

As far as I am concerned, the f...... man pages are boring.

They don't write in a user friendly manner. Their language is boring. Did you study networking? I did study networking. If you look at the books written by Cisco on networking, you will notice the difference. Those big books are written by some Americans,I believe. They know how to write in simple and beautiful English.

I bought about 25 books published by Cisco on networking. I paid thousands of money to buy those books.

It goes same with the books written by Microsoft on Windows 2003 server. They know how to write in simple language.

However, I would respect to your opinion on man pages. It seems you find them interesting.

I always consult the following website to find details.

http://www.computerhope.com/unix/uln.htm

It is written in simple and attractive English. You could write books or articles. You should be able to write so as to get the attention of the reader.

Pixellany

You created this 'CDcontents' folder nearly a week ago.

Do you recall it? I was trying to copy an entire CD on to a folder. You helped me.
For me, you are a clever man.