PHP Tutorial - PHP link() Function

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Definition

The link() function creates a hard link from the existing target with the specified name link.

Syntax

PHP link() Function has the following syntax.

Parameter

Return

This function returns TRUE on success, or FALSE on failure.

Note

Unix links come in two types:

• hard links, which are files, and
• symlinks also known as soft links, which are pointers to other files.

Delete a hard link, delete the file unless there are other hard links pointing to the same file, whereas if you delete a symlink, the original file remains untouched.

We can create hard links and symlinks using the link() and symlink() functions, both of which take a target and a link name and return true if they were successful or false otherwise.

Example

creates a hard link from the existing target with the specified name link

<?PHP//from   ww w .ja  v  a 2  s .  co m
      $result = link("/home/user2/myfile.txt", "/home/user1/myfile.txt");
      if (!$result) {
             echo "Hard link could not be created!\n";
      } else {
             $result = symlink("/home/user2/myfile.txt", "/home/user1/myfile.txt");
             if (!$result) {
                 echo "Symlink could not be created either!\n";
             }
      }
?>

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