0

I'm trying to create a symlink but ln says it exist. I cannot see it in FTP and the cd gives me an error.

[root@vps82008 addons]# ln -s /root/sendsms/app/addons/sendsms /var/www/html/modul-cscart.com/public_html/app/addons
ln: failed to create symbolic link ‘/var/www/html/modul-cscart.com/public_html/app/addons/sendsms’: File exists
[root@vps82008 addons]# cd /var/www/html/modul-cscart.com/public_html/app/addons/sendsms
-bash: cd: /var/www/html/modul-cscart.com/public_html/app/addons/sendsms: No such file or directory
Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

Hypothesis: /var/www/html/modul-cscart.com/public_html/app/addons/sendsms is a symlink with nonexistent target.

cd says No such file or directory because the target doesn't exist. Still the symlink itself does exist, that's why ln says File exists. I guess maybe your FTP server is configured to ignore invalid or all symlinks.

Run the following command to confirm the hypothesis:

ls -ld /var/www/html/modul-cscart.com/public_html/app/addons/sendsms

If the symlink exists, just remove it before you proceed with ln -s … to create it anew (with a proper target this time); or use ln -s -f … to make ln overwrite it without complaining.

Warning: Removing or overwriting something else than a symlink may cause data loss. Removing or overwriting a symlink discards information what its target was. Make sure you know what the file really is. Aside from the above ls -ld … command, use file (if available):

file /var/www/html/modul-cscart.com/public_html/app/addons/sendsms

This tool should explicitly tell you the link is broken, if this is the case.

My attempt to replicate the problem:

$ mkdir /tmp/test608752
$ cd /tmp/test608752
$ ls
$ ln -s foo bar
$ ln -s /tmp bar
ln: failed to create symbolic link 'bar': File exists
$ cd bar
-bash: cd: bar: No such file or directory
$ ls -ld bar
lrwxrwxrwx 1 kamil kamil 3 Sep 10 12:04 bar -> foo
$
Improve this answer
5
  • this is the output lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 39 Sep 10 08:30 /var/www/html/modul-cscart.com/public_html/app/addons/sendsms -> /root/sendsms_module/app/addons/sendsms
    – Radu Catalin
    Commented Sep 10, 2020 at 10:10
  • @RaduCatalin Exactly. And I guess /root/sendsms_module/app/addons/sendsms does not exist. Please confirm.
    – Kamil Maciorowski
    Commented Sep 10, 2020 at 10:15
  • I cannot see it in my ftp. But if I type ls -a I see it but with a red color instead of a blue one like the other folders
    – Radu Catalin
    Commented Sep 10, 2020 at 10:17
  • @RaduCatalin Can you use file? file /var/www/html/modul-cscart.com/public_html/app/addons/sendsms will explicitly tell you the link is broken, if this is the case.
    – Kamil Maciorowski
    Commented Sep 10, 2020 at 10:28
  • Red color means the target of the link doesn't exist. So /root/sendsms_module/app/addons/sendsms does not exist.
    – netmonk
    Commented Sep 10, 2020 at 12:51

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .