---
name: "VOP_LINK"
section: "9freebsd"
platform: "linux"
package: "freebsd-manpages"
version: "12.2-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/VOP_LINK/9freebsd"
---

# VOP\_LINK(9freebsd)

create a new name for a file

## NAME

**VOP\_LINK** – create a new name for a file

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<sys/param.h\>**

**#include \<sys/vnode.h\>**

*int*\

**VOP\_LINK**(*struct vnode \*dvp*, *struct vnode \*vp*, *struct componentname \*cnp*);

## DESCRIPTION

This links a new name in the specified directory to an existing file.

Its arguments are:

- *dvp*

  The vnode of the directory.

- *vp*

  The vnode of the file to be linked.

- *cnp*

  Pathname information about the file.

The pathname info should *not* be released on exit because it is done by the caller. The directory and file vnodes should *not* be released on exit.

## LOCKS

**VOP\_LINK**() expects the directory and file vnodes to be locked on entry and will leave the vnodes locked on return.

## RETURN VALUES

Zero is returned if the file was linked successfully, otherwise an error is returned.

## ERRORS

- \[EMLINK\]

  The file has too many links.

- \[EPERM\]

  The file is immutable.

- \[EXDEV\]

  A hard link is not possible between different file systems.

## SEE ALSO

[vn\_lock(9)](/vn_lock/9.md), [vnode(9)](/vnode/9.md)

## AUTHORS

This manual page was originally written by Doug Rabson.