lchown
to clarify:
in unix/linux:
hardlinks (by this function) cannot go across different filesystems.
softlinks can point anywhere.
in linux, hardlinking to directory is not permited.
link
(PHP 4, PHP 5)
link — Create a hard link
Description
bool link
( string
$target
, string $link
)link() creates a hard link.
Parameters
-
target -
Target of the link.
-
link -
The link name.
Return Values
Returns TRUE on success or FALSE on failure.
Notes
Note: For Windows only: This function requires PHP to run in an elevated mode or with the UAC disabled.
Changelog
| Version | Description |
|---|---|
| 5.3.0 | This function is now available on Windows platforms (Vista, Server 2008 or greater). |
Examples
Example #1 Creating a simple hard link
<?php
$target = 'source.ext'; // This is the file that already exists
$link = 'newfile.ext'; // This the filename that you want to link it to
link($target, $link);
?>
Notes
Note: This function will not work on remote files as the file to be examined must be accessible via the server's filesystem.
See Also
- symlink() - Creates a symbolic link
- readlink() - Returns the target of a symbolic link
- linkinfo() - Gets information about a link
add a note
User Contributed Notes
link - [13 notes]
Anonymous ¶
3 years ago
kop at meme dot com ¶
9 years ago
Note that link() will not work if the target already exists, at least as of php 4.1.2.
Unsigned ¶
1 year ago
link() actually does work on Windows XP SP3 running PHP 5.3.8 on an NTFS filesystem, even though the documentation says Vista and later.
The corresponding symlink() does not however.
albertpeschar at gmail dot com ¶
4 years ago
>> Be aware that the filesystem of the target and the link must be the same,
>> otherwise the link will fail! (Linking files over different filesystems doesn't work under Unix).
Using debian sid, 2.6.24-17-generic, that is definitely not true.
Tim McCormack ¶
5 years ago
As others have noted, the parameter order can seem a little awkward. Here's a mnemonic for remembering the order:
In UNIX, commands go like this:
> command input output
The link command is no different:
> ln infile outfile
...and PHP respects that convention.
Jasper Bekkers ¶
5 years ago
Due to the acquisition of Winternals by Microsoft, the previous link to junction.exe doesn't work anymore. The file has been moved to http://www.microsoft.com/technet/
sysinternals/FileAndDisk/Junction.mspx
(without the newline)
me at robhaswell dot co dot uk ¶
5 years ago
For those that find the order of the arguments unclear, here is a more verbose description:
<?php
$source = "something.ext"; // This is the file that already exists
$dest = "newfile.ext"; // This the filename that you want to link it to
link($source, $dest);
?>
stephane AT baladeauboutdumonde DOT com ¶
5 years ago
Make link recursively :
<?php
function makeRecusLink($orig, $dest)
{
if (is_dir($orig)) {
if (substr($orig, -1) != '/') {
$orig .= '/';
}
$handle = opendir($orig);
while (false !== ($file = readdir($handle))) {
if ($file != '.' && $file != '..') {
$path = $orig.$file;
if (is_file($path)) {
@link($path, $dest.'/'.$file);
} else if (is_dir($path)) {
@mkdir($dest.'/'.$file, 0755);
makeRecusLink($path, $dest.'/'.$file);
}
}
}
}
closedir($handle);
}
?>
Jasper Bekkers ¶
6 years ago
For a backup utility I needed link-like functionality on a windows system. As it isn't availible on windows, i tried to do it myself with the help of some tools. All you need is junction.exe from sysinternals in your %PATH%.
<?php
if(!function_exists('link')){ // Assume a windows system
function link($target, $link){
if(is_dir($target)){
// junctions link to directories in windows
exec("junction $link $target", $lines, $val);
return 0 == $val;
}elseif(is_file($target)){
// Hardlinks link to files in windows
exec("fsutil hardlink create $link $target", $lines, $val);
return 0 == $val;
}
return false;
}
}
?>
http://www.sysinternals.com/Utilities/Junction.html
Guilherme Garnier ¶
7 years ago
I noticed that, differently from Unix ln command, the second parameter can´t be a directory name, i.e., if you want to create a link with the same filename of the target file (obviously on different directories), you must specify the filename on the link parameter.
Example:
Unix ln command:
ln /dir1/file /dir2/ // ok, creates /dir2/file link
PHP link function:
link ("/dir1/file", "/dir2/"); // wrong, gives a "File exists" warning
link ("/dir1/file", "/dir2/file"); // ok, creates /dir2/file link
mmap at upt dot org ¶
8 years ago
I think kop is confused regarding the semantics of link's argument order. The user's comment states that target should not already exist, suggesting that it is the target that is being created. As with the UNIX hardlink, ln(1), the target is the existing file. I think kop meant to say php's link() will return an error if the second parameter, the link being created, already exists.
Also, as with the UNIX system call link will fail if the link being created exists on a different filesystem.
jurgens at prefix dot co dot za ¶
9 months ago
For the die hard eZ Components fans out there, the fact that the link function is supported from PHP 5.3 on certain Windows platforms breaks the ezcArchiveZip class.
It's quite specific, but if you're running PHP 5.3 on a windows platform that supports link, and you're trying to add more than one file to your archive, it will think that all subsequent files are symbolic links to the first file.
This happens because the ArchiveZip class assumes that if the link function is supported, inodes (see the documentation on the stat function - http://php.net/manual/en/function.stat.php) are supported as well.
root at c-works dot net ¶
6 years ago
Be aware that the filesystem of the target and the link must be the same, otherwise the link will fail! (Linking files over different filesystems doesn't work under Unix).