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From: merlin@hqda-ai.UUCP (David S. Hayes)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions,comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Re: what does the link count of a directory show?
Message-ID: <375@hqda-ai.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-May-87 18:56:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: hqda-ai.375
Posted: Wed May 20 18:56:54 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 23-May-87 09:35:54 EDT
References: <12913@vaxc.ARPA>
Organization: Army AI Center, Pentagon
Lines: 23
Keywords: ls -ld on 4bsd
Summary: Same as for a normal file
Xref: mnetor comp.unix.questions:2454 comp.unix.wizards:2409


     The link count for a directory has the same meaning as the
link count for a file.  It indicates how many names there are for
the directory.

     Every directory has at least two different names:

     from above:    	 parent/directory
     from 'directory':	 .

If there are subdirectories, each of them adds another link:

     from below:    	 subdir/..

It is even possible to create additional links to directories:

     ln directory link

This option is restricted to root, and requires the -f (force)
switch to prevent accidental use.
-- 
David S. Hayes, The Merlin of Avalon	PhoneNet:  (202) 694-6900
UUCP:  *!seismo!sundc!hqda-ai!merlin	ARPA:  merlin%hqda-ai@seismo.css.gov