I just confirmed that this is what happens. method: $ mkdir test1 $ cd test1 $ echo "a;ljfasldja;ldkfja;sldkfjsd;lfka;;slk" > file1 $ cd .. $ du 4 ./test1 20 . $ cp -rl test1 test2 $ du 4 ./test1 0 ./test2 20 . $ rm -rf ./test1 $ cd test2 $ ls -l total 4 -rw-r--r-- 1 david users 33 Jul 16 15:17 file1 $ cd .. $ du 4 ./test2 20 . On 07/16/2014 03:12 PM, Jeff Chapin wrote: > cp -rl will achieve the same result for directories, I believe. It's a > recursive copy -- but instead of actually copying data, creates hard links. > > > On Wed, Jul 16, 2014 at 2:14 PM, gregrwm <tclug1 at whitleymott.net > <mailto:tclug1 at whitleymott.net>> wrote: > > >create a hard link to the new file, then remove the old > > for directories? > > > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org <mailto:tclug-list at mn-linux.org> > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list > > > > > -- > Jeff Chapin > President, CedarLug, retired > President, UNIPC, "I'll get around to it" > President, UNI Scuba Club > Senator, NISG, retired > > > _______________________________________________ > TCLUG Mailing List - Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota > tclug-list at mn-linux.org > http://mailman.mn-linux.org/mailman/listinfo/tclug-list >