Function

v_symlink invokes the v_symlink callable service to create a symbolic link to a pathname or external name. The contents of the symbolic link file is pathname.

Parameters

vntoken

A variable name for the directory that contains the vnode token in which filename is being created.

filename

The name for the symbolic link.

pathname

The absolute or relative pathname of the file you are linking to (the contents of the symbolic link).

extlink

Specify 1 if this is a symbolic link to an external name rather than to a pathname in the file hierarchy. An external name is the name of an object outside of the file hierarchy.

Usage notes

1. Like a hard link (described in v_link), a symbolic link allows a file to have more than one name. The presence of a hard link guarantees the existence of a file, even after the original name has been removed. A symbolic link, however, provides no such assurance; in fact, the file identified by pathname need not exist when the symbolic link is created. In addition, a symbolic link can cross file system boundaries, and it can refer to objects outside of a hierarchical file system.
2. When a component of a pathname refers to a symbolic link (but not an external symbolic link) rather than to a directory, the pathname contained in the symbolic link is resolved. For v_rpn or other z/OS UNIX callable services, a symbolic link in a pathname parameter is resolved as follows:
   • If the pathname in the symbolic link begins with / (slash), the symbolic link pathname is resolved relative to the process root directory.
   • If the pathname in the symbolic link does not begin with /, the symbolic link pathname is resolved relative to the directory that contains the symbolic link.
   • If the symbolic link is not the last component of the original pathname, remaining components of the original pathname are resolved from there.
   • When a symbolic link is the last component of a pathname, it may or may not be resolved. Resolution depends on the function using the pathname. For example, a rename request does not have a symbolic link resolved when it appears as the final component of either the new or old pathname. However, an open request does have a symbolic link resolved when it appears as the last component.
   • When a slash is the last component of a pathname, and it is preceded by a symbolic link, the symbolic link is always resolved.
   • Because it cannot be changed, the mode of a symbolic link is ignored during the lookup process. Any files and directories to which a symbolic link refers are checked for access permission.
3. The external name contained in an external symbolic link is not resolved. The filename cannot be used as a directory component of a pathname.