than listing their contents.
@c The following sentence is the same as the one for -F.
Do not follow symbolic links listed on the
-command line unless the @option{--dereference-command-line} (@option{-H})
-or @option{--dereference} (@option{-L}) options are specified.
+command line unless the @option{--dereference-command-line} (@option{-H}),
+@option{--dereference} (@option{-L}), or
+@option{--dereference-command-line-symlink-to-dir} options are specified.
@item -H
@itemx --dereference-command-line
If a command line argument specifies a symbolic link, show information
for the file the link references rather than for the link itself.
+@itemx --dereference-command-line-symlink-to-dir
+@opindex --dereference-command-line-symlink-to-dir
+@cindex symbolic links, dereferencing
+Do not dereference symbolic links, with one exception:
+if a command line argument specifies a symbolic link that refers to
+a directory, show information for that directory rather than for the
+link itself.
+This is the default behavior when no other dereferencing-related
+option has been specified (@option{--classify} (@option{-F}),
+@option{--directory} (@option{-d}),
+(@option{-l}),
+@option{--dereference} (@option{-L}), or
+@option{--dereference-command-line} (@option{-H})).
+
@item -I PATTERN
@itemx --ignore=PATTERN
@opindex -I
@samp{|} for FIFOs, @samp{=} for sockets, and nothing for regular files.
@c The following sentence is the same as the one for -d.
Do not follow symbolic links listed on the
-command line unless the @option{--dereference-command-line} (@option{-H})
-or @option{--dereference} (@option{-L}) options are specified.
+command line unless the @option{--dereference-command-line} (@option{-H}),
+@option{--dereference} (@option{-L}), or
+@option{--dereference-command-line-symlink-to-dir} options are specified.
@item --indicator-style=@var{word}
@opindex --indicator-style