Test and document path handling of H5Lcreate_* API (#3846)

* Document path handling of H5Lcreate_* API

* Document that link name is last part of path

* Test H5Lcreate path handling behavior

* State that absolute paths require forward slash

1 files changed, 20 insertions, 7 deletions

diff --git a/src/H5Lpublic.h b/src/H5Lpublic.h
index 03b47c5..2bf3c53 100644
--- a/src/H5Lpublic.h
+++ b/src/H5Lpublic.h
@@ -260,9 +260,13 @@ H5_DLL herr_t H5Lcopy(hid_t src_loc, const char *src_name, hid_t dst_loc, const
  *          location and name, respectively, of the new hard link.
  *
  *          \p cur_name and \p dst_name are interpreted relative to \p cur_loc
- *          and \p dst_loc, respectively. If \p cur_loc and \p dst_loc are the
- *          same location, the HDF5 macro #H5L_SAME_LOC can be used for either
- *          parameter (but not both).
+ *          and \p dst_loc, respectively. If a given name begins with \c /,
+ *          then it will be interpreted as absolute path in the file.
+ *          The names of the created links will be the last element of
+ *          each provided path. Prior elements in each path are used to
+ *          locate the parent groups of each new link. If \p cur_loc and
+ *          \p dst_loc are the same location, the HDF5 macro
+ *          #H5L_SAME_LOC can be used for either parameter (but not both).
  *
  *          \p lcpl_id and \p lapl_id are the link creation and access property
  *          lists associated with the new link.
@@ -321,8 +325,10 @@ H5_DLL herr_t H5Lcreate_hard_async(hid_t cur_loc_id, const char *cur_name, hid_t
  *
  *          \p link_loc_id and \p link_name specify the location and name,
  *          respectively, of the new soft link. \p link_name is interpreted
- *          relative to \p link_loc_id and must contain only the name of the soft
- *          link; \p link_name may not contain any additional path elements.
+ *          as a path relative to \p link_loc_id, or an absolute path if it
+ *          begins with \c /. The name of the created link will be the last
+ *          element of the provided path. Prior elements in the path are
+ *          used to locate the parent group of the new link.
  *
  *          If \p link_loc_id is a group identifier, the object pointed to by
  *          \p link_name will be accessed as a member of that group. If
@@ -1190,7 +1196,11 @@ H5_DLL herr_t H5Lvisit_by_name2(hid_t loc_id, const char *group_name, H5_index_t
  *          named \p link_name at the location specified in \p link_loc_id with
  *          user-specified data \p udata.
  *
- *          \p link_name is interpreted relative to \p link_loc_id.
+ *          \p link_name is interpreted relative to \p link_loc_id. If
+ *          \p link_name begins with \c /, then it will be interpreted as
+ *          an absolute path in the file. The name of the created link
+ *          will be the last element of the provided path. Prior elements
+ *          in the path are used to locate the parent group of the new link.
  *
  *          Valid values for the link class of the new link, \p link_type,
  *          include #H5L_TYPE_EXTERNAL and any user-defined link classes that
@@ -1307,7 +1317,10 @@ H5_DLL herr_t H5Lunpack_elink_val(const void *ext_linkval /*in*/, size_t link_si
  *
  *          \p link_loc_id and \p link_name specify the location and name,
  *          respectively, of the new link. \p link_name is interpreted relative
- *          to \p link_loc_id.
+ *          to \p link_loc_id. If \p link_name begins with \c /, then it is
+ *          interpreted as an absolute path in the file. The name of the created
+ *          link will be the last element of the provided path. Prior elements in
+ *          the path are used to locate the parent group of the new link.
  *
  *          \p lcpl_id is the link creation property list used in creating the
  *          new link.