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Old 03-21-2006, 11:09 PM   #1
tofee
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Query regarding hardlink and symbolic link.

hello ,

is there any way to make a hardlink/symlink to a target file which has no existence ?

is it possible to make a symbolic link of a existing hardlink or vice versa ?

we know that symbolic link can be made in different partition but is it possible to make hardlink into different partition ?

pls explain the concept .... thanks in advance.
 
Old 03-21-2006, 11:25 PM   #2
perfect_circle
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tofee
is there any way to make a hardlink/symlink to a target file which has no existence ?
I don't think So...


Quote:
Originally Posted by tofee
is it possible to make a symbolic link of a existing hardlink or vice versa ?
Yes. but I cannot see a use for this


Quote:
Originally Posted by tofee
we know that symbolic link can be made in different partition but is it possible to make hardlink into different partition ?
No
 
Old 03-21-2006, 11:29 PM   #3
pixellany
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tofee
hello ,

is there any way to make a hardlink/symlink to a target file which has no existence ?
This makes no sense---what is the meaning of a link to a non-existent file? Did you mean EMPTY file? If so, then Yes...

Quote:
Originally Posted by tofee
is it possible to make a symbolic link of a existing hardlink or vice versa ?
Do you mean CONVERT from symbolic to hard? I don't think so.
Do you mean link to a link? Yes

Quote:
Originally Posted by tofee
we know that symbolic link can be made in different partition but is it possible to make hardlink into different partition ?
Yes

The concept?? A symbolic link is like a pointer--it redirects you to a real file. A hard link is like a mirror--the content is duplicated.
 
Old 03-21-2006, 11:32 PM   #4
pixellany
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Quote:
Originally Posted by perfect_circle
No
Said in response to hardlink in different partition...

I misread OP as saying "directory" and answered "yes". Why would it not work in a different partition?
 
Old 03-21-2006, 11:48 PM   #5
perfect_circle
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pixellany
Said in response to hardlink in different partition...

I misread OP as saying "directory" and answered "yes". Why would it not work in a different partition?
A simlink is just a new file that somehow has inside it stored the path to a real file.

A hard link creates a copy of the i-node of the file. Hard link is not a link in the way you imagine it.

When you create a hard link what you do is have a second i-node pointing to the same data.

[i-node]-> [file data] <- [i-node]

To have a hard link in a different partition is like having a file half of which is stored in a different partition. This is not feasible.
 
Old 03-21-2006, 11:51 PM   #6
perfect_circle
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http://www.granneman.com/techinfo/li...dhardlinks.htm

Quote:
Soft links

* Pointers to programs, files, or directories located elsewhere (just like Windows shortcuts)
Quote:
Hard links cannot span disk drives, so you CANNOT have a hard link on /dev/hdb that refers to a program or file on /dev/hda
If you want a piece of advice, don't use hard links
 
Old 03-22-2006, 12:52 AM   #7
maxie
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I´ve never had a reason to use hard links.
Is there an example?
What about... data in a shared folder.
user a has a hard link in his home to shared
user b also has a hard link in his home to shared
Is this like it?
 
Old 03-22-2006, 01:03 AM   #8
mbreith
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As I understand it, yes. What I don't know is if the two hard links can have different permissions. Then user A and user B can both be owners of the same file. That is the only reason I can see to have hard links.
 
  


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