Date: Wed, 9 Oct 2002 22:09:00 -0400 (EDT) From: Peter Leftwich <Hostmaster@Video2Video.Com> To: FreeBSD LIST <FreeBSD-Questions@FreeBSD.Org> Subject: Re: help with ln "linking" Please! [attn manpage authors!] Message-ID: <20021009220536.F36987-100000@earl-grey.cloud9.net> In-Reply-To: <zgsmzg69y1.mzg@localhost.localdomain>
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On 8 Oct 2002, Gary W. Swearingen wrote: > PL> The manpage is super unclear about sourcefile and targetfile, I have > PL> said this for years. Think of this paragraph: [snip] > PL> ... as this instead `ln -s actualfile linkfile` > That's not the best way to think of it, since "actualfile" need not be > an actual file! Nor "existing", as the manual has. The "source" Nor existing? How so? [!] > concept is actually pretty good, since the "source file" is used as the > source of data when "target file" is accessed. > > Confusion comes about mostly because the "ls" command shows an arrow > pointing from the target (AKA destination) to the source, backwards from > what most people would expect when thinking of source and > destination/target. The arrow points away from the target! It also > shows them in reverse order from how they are given to "ln". That's a good point, the arrows do point in the "wrong" direction. :) > How about this: ln [-fhinsv] source_filename [link_filename] > I just TRY to remember them as being bassackwards from the more natural > order of "ls": link -> source LOL - on a second read of your commentary I noticed 'bassackwards.' > Anybody else have terms they'd prefer the manual use in both the > SYNOPSIS and DESCRIPTION? I like Adam's ideology about the file you want to create comes last. Like an old man on medication with an ejaculatory condition. Har har. > Peter, who have you "said this for years" TO? Have you filed a Problem > Report which I could send a patch for? If so, what's the number? The "said this for years" was probably me cursing and drooling asleep. -- Peter Leftwich President & Founder Video2Video Services Box 13692, La Jolla, CA, 92039 USA +1-413-403-9555 To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-questions" in the body of the message
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