GNU bug report logs - #52115
Suggestion: LN command should swap TARGET and LINK_NAME if LINK_NAME already exists

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From: Chris Elvidge <celvidge001 <at> gmail.com>
To: Bob Proulx <bob <at> proulx.com>, Warren Parad <wparad <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 52115 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: bug#52115: Suggestion: LN command should swap TARGET and LINK_NAME if LINK_NAME already exists
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 2021 09:58:50 +0000

On 29/11/2021 01:07 am, Bob Proulx wrote:
> Warren Parad wrote:
>> except mv(1) and cp(1) are both "FROM" and then "TO", but ln is backwards
>> from thi, it is "TO" then "FROM", the least the command could do is put
>> these in the correct order.
> 
> But that is not correct.  The order for ln is the same as for cp and
> mv in that the target getting created is the right side argument.
> 
> (Unless the -t or -T option is used to do it differently by explicit
> syntax request.  Unless no target is specified in which case dot is
> assumed.  I admit those two "unless" cases complicate the original
> simplicity.  But the normal case is to create the right side argument
> as the target of the command.)
> 
>>>   it is a one-time effort to learn the order
>> Opinion, do you want proof that people can't learn this, because they
>> haven't.
> 
> The target getting created is the right side argument.  If that is not
> clear from the documentation then improving the documentation is
> always good.
> 
> Let me say with some confidence that if the order were changed to
> create the left argument that people would be very upset that cp and
> mv created the right side argument but ln created a left side
> argument!
> 
> Bob
> 
> 
> 
> 

Windows mklink command already does this - yes, it's annoying.

-- 

Chris Elvidge

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