symbolic links in linux and Ubuntu

I always seem to have a tough time getting symbolic links right and often finding myself either Googling them or running test link after test link until I nail it. Normally I follow the mantra:

command {something} {somewhere}

such as:

mount /dev/sda1 /media/mydrive

/dev/sds1 being the “something” and the /media/mydrive being the somewhere

But with symbolic links, what is the something? Is it the symbolic link? is it the target? The somewhere, is that the target or is that the symbolic link? And the man page offers no help (at least not in my interpretation of it).

I’ve realised tonight the first error I’ve been making is forgetting you should explicitly set a full path to the target object (folder or file).

I’m often creating symbolic links to directories, usually remote and so a symbolic link in my home directory fits the bill.

What’s the correct syntax?

ln -s {/path/to/folder} {linkname}

ln -s /media/usbkey ~/usbkey

ln -s /run/user/1000/gvfs/afp-volume:host=DSBOX.local,user=dav3,volume=desktop/remotedir remotedir

 

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