# dh_link

## NAME



           dh_link - create symlinks in package build directories
    


## SYNOPSIS



           **dh_link**[_debhelper options_] [**-A**] [**-X** _item_] [_source destination_ ...]
    


## DESCRIPTION



           **dh_link** is a debhelper program that creates symlinks in package
           build directories.
    
           **dh_link** accepts a list of pairs of source and destination files.
           The source files are the already existing files that will be
           symlinked from (called **target** by ln(1)). The destination files are
           the symlinks that will be created (called **link name** by ln(1)).
           There **must** be an equal number of source and destination files
           specified.
    
           Be sure you **do** specify the absolute path to both the source and
           destination files (unlike you would do if you were using something
           like ln(1)).  Please note that the leading slash is optional.
    
           **dh_link** will generate symlinks that comply with Debian policy -
           absolute when policy says they should be absolute, and relative
           links with as short a path as possible. It will also create any
           subdirectories it needs to put the symlinks in.
    
           Any pre-existing destination files will be replaced with symlinks.
    
           **dh_link** also scans the package build tree for existing symlinks
           which do not conform to Debian policy, and corrects them (v4 or
           later).
    


## FILES



           debian/_package_.links
               Lists pairs of source and destination files to be symlinked.
               Each pair should be put on its own line, with the source and
               destination separated by whitespace.
    
               In each pair the source file (called **target** by ln(1)) comes
               first and is followed by the destination file (called **link**
               **name** by ln(1)). Thus the pairs of source and destination files
               in each line are given in the same order as they would be
               given to ln(1).
    
               In contrast to ln(1), source and destination paths must be
               absolute (the leading slash is optional).
    
               Supports substitution variables in compat 13 and later as
               documented in debhelper(7).
    


## OPTIONS



           **-A** , **--all**
               Create any links specified by command line parameters in ALL
               packages acted on, not just the first.
    
           **-X** _item_ , **--exclude=**_item_
               Exclude symlinks that contain _item_ anywhere in their filename
               from being corrected to comply with Debian policy.
    
           _source destination_ ...
               Create a file named _destination_ as a link to a file named
               _source_. Do this in the package build directory of the first
               package acted on.  (Or in all packages if **-A** is specified.)
    


## EXAMPLES



            dh_link usr/share/man/man1/foo.1 usr/share/man/man1/bar.1
    
           Make _bar.1_ be a symlink to _foo.1_
    
            dh_link var/lib/foo usr/lib/foo \
              usr/share/man/man1/foo.1 usr/share/man/man1/bar.1
    
           Make _/usr/lib/foo/_ be a link to _/var/lib/foo/_ , and _bar.1_ be a
           symlink to the _foo.1_
    
            var/lib/foo usr/lib/foo
            usr/share/man/man1/foo.1 usr/share/man/man1/bar.1
    
           Same as above but as content for a debian/_package_.links file.
    


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