Creating hard link to directory

[kolton]

I got some discussion that generating the hard link to a directory is impossible however when going through the manual pages of "ln" the "-d/-f" option states that the hard link directories ( super-user only). Thus it indicates that the super user means the root user is only able to create the hard link for the directory and a normal user is not permitted to do this , If yes then you . Even on indicating the above options, I received the operation not permitted for a super user.

[lorenz]

You are only able to have hard link files (and I would consider that it also moves for the directories) if the source and target are running upon the same file system then you would be unable to create the hard link of a file on the single device with a directory on different one device or another partition (that is an separate file system).

[Bon-Z]

The GNU tools should allowed to be executed within the different number of operating systems with a different specification of the kernels. It is based on the on several components but initially the game is within the kernel and the file system driver. So, that "ln" of "df" is unable to perform anything with the same , it does not indicate that the "linux" necessarily compatible with the feature. And even if that was possible within the linux, it does not indicates that your file system will be compatible with the same at all (just as the vfat doesn't have any compatibility with the linux/unix privileges).

[Team Leader]

The initial issue with the process of hardlinking the directories is that when you build the hard link or locate , there is no any difference with the names of a suggested files or specified directory. And the file remains accessible until you remove the last one specified (unlike with the symbolic links). It can confuse the programs which moves recursively the directory tree, who is sure about the location our rm -rf could end. Just same as the symlinks, you don't have to deference anything, virtually, the directory is just there same as if you made the same with the mkdir and whatever hangs within this and it will be recursed in same situation..

[David23]

Fine, I have tried the same on my CentOS 5.3 and it got failed with the error message with the following message as "Operation not permitted". There may be Linux versions that facilitates with the same and it should be a factor of the file system in the query. Don't know. Not sure I care.

So, why do you want a hard link to a directory?