mkdir logs
mkdir: Failed to make directory "logs"; File exists
To avoid this error i use the -p argument so it creates a folder only if it is does not exists like you see below.
mkdir -p logs
In the similar manner i wish to avoid this error with ln command
ln -s /tmp/myfolder var
ln: cannot create var: File exists
You can test if it is a symlink.
Check out man test on your operating system.
test -h /path/mylink && echo "link" || echo "not link"
Regards.
Sure this is a reasonable request? Which of the links should persist - the old one or the new one? Are you aware that overwriting the old value may destroy valuable information?
Read man ln for info on the -b , --backup , and -f options.
I thought that the -p flag of mkdir was to make up any required paths, so if you issue mkdir /a/b/c/d and only /a/b exist, /a/b/c will be created for you.
My testing seems to suggest your way will still fail:-
$ touch /tmp/my-test
$ mkdir -p /tmp/my-test
mkdir: cannot create directory `/tmp/my-test': File exists
$
Am I missing something? It is always best to test before you try to create/replace something.
Robin
They are not equivalent. mkdir always does the same thing - create an empty folder - while the entries ln creates depend on the source.