hardlink: file exists - Can I only hardlink to a file once?

[jeffpoulton]

I successfully used hardlink to hardlink a directory. Woot! I then tried to hardlink to the same source from from a different destination directory, but I'm getting the following error:

$> hardlink: file exists

Any idea why I am getting this error? I've tried it from multiple destination directories and with the same effect.

[lrecknagel]

I have the same error message when I try to hardlink two folders:

hln /Users/Documents/hardTEST/ /Users/Library/Mobile\ Documents/com\~apple\~CloudDocs/hardTest/

Any ideas why it wont work :/

[dragonfax]

I'm starting to wonder why hardlinks are even still supported on OSX considering how many wacky restrictions there are on them. They're nothing like unix hardlinks anymore.

[BenjaminHCCarr]

I just had this issue last week.

I realized I wasn't trying to hln the original folder, but rather the target of a prior hln src target.

This had to do with a backup server/system that wet itself on hardlinks so I moved everything into one directory for the backup target and used hln to put things "back" where they "should" be.