nixCraft

raj · #1 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 08:43 PM

My backup script create link to latest tar ball. However, sometime it is deleted by end users. How can I determine whether a symlink is broken or not? If I can find out that, I can create a new symlink

sweta · #2 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 09:17 PM

Code:

file=/home/sweta/demo/link
if [[ ! -e $file &&  -L $file ]]; then
  echo "$file symlink is  broken!"
fi

raj · #3 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 09:28 PM

thanks but I'm not on bash, I need something which is posix ready and should works across any UNIX version.

jaysunn · #4 (**permalink**) 09-07-2009, 09:47 PM

Give this a try:

Code:

#/usr/bin/find / -type l ! -execdir test -e '{}' \; -print | nl

/usr/bin/find -x / -type l ! -execdir test -e '{}' \; -ls | nl

# skip /dev directory
/usr/bin/find / -not \( -type d -path '/dev' -prune \) -type l ! -execdir test -e '{}' \; -ls | nl

Or

Code:

# find broken symlinks to non-existing files & directories or another broken symlink


# "Using the -L flag follows symlinks, so the -type l test only returns true if the link can't be followed, 
#  or is a symlink to another broken symlink."

/usr/bin/find -x -L / -type l -ls | nl

/usr/bin/find -L / -not \( -type d -path '/dev' -prune \) -type l -ls | nl    # skip /dev directory



# delete broken symlinks

#/usr/bin/find -x / -type l ! -execdir test -e '{}' \; -delete
#/usr/bin/find / -not \( -type d -path '/dev' -prune \) -type l ! -execdir test -e '{}' \; -delete

#/usr/bin/find -x -L / -type l -delete
#/usr/bin/find -L / -not \( -type d -path '/dev' -prune \) -type l -delete

This should be portable. Tested ON BSD / MAC OSX

Jaysunn

raj · #5 (**permalink**) 10-07-2009, 01:29 AM

Thanks for find commands, I will check it out later on my sun box.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
DNS broken after Fedora 10 upgrade	woodson2	CentOS / RHEL / Fedora	0	03-12-2008 08:06 PM
DNS broken after Fedora 10 upgrade	woodson2	Domain Name Server	0	03-12-2008 08:05 PM
How to follow symlink on /var/www/html	demuytree	Shell scripting	0	15-10-2008 11:05 PM

nixCraft

Find out if a symlink is broken or not

[Solved] Find out if a symlink is broken or not

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

The Following User Says Thank You to sweta For This Useful Post:
raj (09-07-2009)

The Following User Says Thank You to jaysunn For This Useful Post:
raj (10-07-2009)