how to check if a path is actual or symbolic link

Question

I am writing my own shell program. I am currently implementing the cd command using chdir. I want to implement the cd with the below options :

When a given path is entered on the shell, how to figure out if the path is a symbolic link or an absolute path progamatically?

Thanks

Both Unknown and zed_0xff are correct because your question is posed oddly. In a shell script you use the `test` command (a.k.a. `[`) if you are **writing** a shell, you use `stat()`. — msw, Jun 13 '10 at 16:19

Unknown · Accepted Answer · 2010-06-13T16:49:27.753

3

Check out the lstat() function , you need to use S_ISLNK on the st_mode field.

edited Jun 13 '10 at 16:49

answered Jun 13 '10 at 16:09

Unknown

1

I think you mean `lstat()`, `stat()` will follow the symlink – Hasturkun Jun 13 '10 at 16:43

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 13 '10 at 16:09

3

if [ -L /path/to/file ]; then
  echo "is a symlink!"
else
  echo "not a symlink! maybe a directory or regular file, or does not exist"
end

answered Jun 13 '10 at 16:09

zed_0xff

2 Answers2