What does "resolve symlink" mean?

Question

Im confused about this bash option:

-P

If set, do not resolve symbolic links when performing commands such as cd which change the current directory. The physical directory is used instead. By default, Bash follows the logical chain of directories when performing commands which change the current directory.

For example, if /usr/sys is a symbolic link to /usr/local/sys then:

$ cd /usr/sys; echo $PWD
/usr/sys
$ cd ..; pwd
/usr

If set -P is on, then:

$ cd /usr/sys; echo $PWD
/usr/local/sys
$ cd ..; pwd
/usr/local

I thought resolve means to follow? e.g /usr/sys points at /usr/local/sys, so it would get resolved to /usr/local/sys. But the example above says that when set -P is on, /usr/sys becomes /usr/local/says? Even though it says if its on it shouldnt resolve symbolic links

Answer 1

vm1:/home/millerp > ln -s /var/log ./log
vm1:/home/millerp > set -P
vm1:/home/millerp > cd log
vm1:/var/log > cd
vm1:/home/millerp > set +P
vm1:/home/millerp > cd log
vm1:/home/millerp/log >

With -P, the cwd is not resolved (converted) to the link, it is shown as the actual (physical) path. With +P, the cwd is resolved to the symlink path.

As muru points out, the question is 'resovlved for whom?'