> I have just realised that if yoiu use kde's 'create a link here', you > get a hard link. Now I may have completely misunderstood the whole > theory, but I thought that when you want to make what windows calls a > shortcut, you really want a soft link?
Usually, yes. Windows doesn't make a distinction, mostly because it has no concept of links. A link (in Unix) is another alternate name for the same file (or inode). Directory entries basically have two components - a name and an inode. Actually there are other entries as well, but for simplicity's sake we can ignore them for the time being. Adding a link basically involves making up a new name (even in another directory) and copying the inode from the old directory entry to the new one. Removing only removes the directory entry, not the contents, unless there are no more links. Because links involve copying the inode, they can't cross file system boundaries. For instance, inode #10993 on / is another file than inode #10993 on /home. Symobolic links work a little bit differently. They store (sometimes in the inode) a pathname to the destination file. BUt these are separate files. A hard link only takes up a directory entry. In that context, windows shortcuts are closer to symbolic links since they are essentially files with embedded filenames. > [EMAIL PROTECTED] anne]$ ln -s Graphics /Graphics > ln: creating symbolic link `/Graphics/Graphics' to `Graphics': > Operation not permitted > [EMAIL PROTECTED] anne]$ It seems you are attempting to make a file that points to itself. In what directory are you trying this? Sometimes you need the extra 'f' to force (ln -sf) the linking. I've usually learned to automatically get my fingers to type 'ln -sf' when I want to link a file. And I think you have the source and destination reversed - that may be the cause of the confusion. Since you mention icons, is this a kde 'shortcut' When you click on Graphics, is the intent to bring up the Graphics subdirectory? If so, an easier thing is to create a new Link to URL by right clicking on the desktop. Then you can name the file "Graphics" and make the URL 'file:///graphics" for instance. And if you click you get a window directory listing from konqueror. > Anne
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