15 comment

1. Is there any way to automatically delete the links too on deletion of a file
   say,
   mainfile -> linkfile
   now rm -f mainfile , should delete linkfile too ?? in RHEL it exists but points no where.

2. Hi ,
   can you explain below thing

   [root@localhost html]# unlink bugzilla-st/
   unlink: cannot unlink `bugzilla-st/’: Not a directory
   [root@localhost html]#
   [root@localhost html]#
   [root@localhost html]# rm bugzilla-st/
   rm: cannot remove `bugzilla-st/’: Is a directory

   Thanks&Regards,
   Srinu

   1. rm -R bugzilla-st/
      what`s the result?

3. dont put slash at the end, use “unlink bugzilla-st” then it will work even i ahd the same problem,

   1. thanks, the trailing slash was the issue for me too

4. 1st delete the source file..
   then remove the Link
   Eg:
   symlink file
   test 1–> /opt/test

   removing source file
   # rm -Rf /opt/test
   remove link
   # unlink test1

   enjoy……. :D

5. [root@localhost html]# unlink bugzilla-st/
   unlink: cannot unlink `bugzilla-st/’: Not a directory

   ==> unlink bugzilla-st

6. thanks All , After removing slash it is working .

7. All,

   So how do you write a bash script to wipe all existing symlinks (unknown to you) and re-establish new ones?

   Would need special exceptions for system created symlinks necessary for OS functions

   Cheers!

   TBNK

8. I found out the hard way that “unlink” will not only remove symbolic links but will delete a file if you run “unlink” on an actual file instead of a symbolic link.

9. unlink will also remove the target file of a sym link if that is the only link and no one has opened the target (no open file descriptor). Lost 10 days of work in a zippy damn it :(

   Please mention this detail sir so others are saved from this pain like I am going through now :(

   1. Ajju, it will not delete the target file.

      1. I ran unlink on my softlink and the entire target file (which was a directory however a dir is also just a special kind of a file right?) got deleted.

         1. Ouch, sorry to hear that. :-(

            I’m experiencing exactly the same behavior on Fedora 22. Running the rm or ulink command on the symlink removes the content of the target directory, but the symbolic link stays unaffected. I can’t seem to be capable of figuring out why that is.

         2. Don’t worry, rm or unlink doesn’t remove directories unless specifically told to do so. Also, rm/unlink doesn’t remove the target directory or file. You must have mixed options and deleted the target first. Here is an example to prove it:

            # create a dir
            mkdir foo
            # copy some file 
            cp /etc/resolv.conf foo
            # Create soft link
            ln -s foo bar
            # Verify it
            ls -ldi foo bar
            # Delete the link
            unlink bar
            # Verify it and foo should be there
            ls -li

            This is why you need to make regular backups. Mistakes happen at the CLI. Goodluck!

    Have a question? Post it on our forum!