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.\" ========================================================================
.\"
.IX Title "File::Spec 3"
.TH File::Spec 3 "2002-11-24" "perl v5.8.0" "Perl Programmers Reference Guide"
.SH "NAME"
File::Spec \- portably perform operations on file names
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.IX Header "SYNOPSIS"
.Vb 1
\&        use File::Spec;
.Ve
.PP
.Vb 1
\&        $x=File::Spec->catfile('a', 'b', 'c');
.Ve
.PP
which returns 'a/b/c' under Unix. Or:
.PP
.Vb 1
\&        use File::Spec::Functions;
.Ve
.PP
.Vb 1
\&        $x = catfile('a', 'b', 'c');
.Ve
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.IX Header "DESCRIPTION"
This module is designed to support operations commonly performed on file
specifications (usually called \*(L"file names\*(R", but not to be confused with the
contents of a file, or Perl's file handles), such as concatenating several
directory and file names into a single path, or determining whether a path
is rooted. It is based on code directly taken from MakeMaker 5.17, code
written by Andreas Ko\*:nig, Andy Dougherty, Charles Bailey, Ilya
Zakharevich, Paul Schinder, and others.
.PP
Since these functions are different for most operating systems, each set of
\&\s-1OS\s0 specific routines is available in a separate module, including:
.PP
.Vb 5
\&        File::Spec::Unix
\&        File::Spec::Mac
\&        File::Spec::OS2
\&        File::Spec::Win32
\&        File::Spec::VMS
.Ve
.PP
The module appropriate for the current \s-1OS\s0 is automatically loaded by
File::Spec. Since some modules (like \s-1VMS\s0) make use of facilities available
only under that \s-1OS\s0, it may not be possible to load all modules under all
operating systems.
.PP
Since File::Spec is object oriented, subroutines should not be called directly,
as in:
.PP
.Vb 1
\&        File::Spec::catfile('a','b');
.Ve
.PP
but rather as class methods:
.PP
.Vb 1
\&        File::Spec->catfile('a','b');
.Ve
.PP
For simple uses, File::Spec::Functions provides convenient functional
forms of these methods.
.SH "METHODS"
.IX Header "METHODS"
.IP "canonpath" 2
.IX Item "canonpath"
No physical check on the filesystem, but a logical cleanup of a
path.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $cpath = File::Spec->canonpath( $path ) ;
.Ve
.IP "catdir" 2
.IX Item "catdir"
Concatenate two or more directory names to form a complete path ending
with a directory. But remove the trailing slash from the resulting
string, because it doesn't look good, isn't necessary and confuses
\&\s-1OS2\s0. Of course, if this is the root directory, don't cut off the
trailing slash :\-)
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $path = File::Spec->catdir( @directories );
.Ve
.IP "catfile" 2
.IX Item "catfile"
Concatenate one or more directory names and a filename to form a
complete path ending with a filename
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $path = File::Spec->catfile( @directories, $filename );
.Ve
.IP "curdir" 2
.IX Item "curdir"
Returns a string representation of the current directory.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $curdir = File::Spec->curdir();
.Ve
.IP "devnull" 2
.IX Item "devnull"
Returns a string representation of the null device.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $devnull = File::Spec->devnull();
.Ve
.IP "rootdir" 2
.IX Item "rootdir"
Returns a string representation of the root directory.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $rootdir = File::Spec->rootdir();
.Ve
.IP "tmpdir" 2
.IX Item "tmpdir"
Returns a string representation of the first writable directory from a
list of possible temporary directories.  Returns "" if no writable
temporary directories are found.  The list of directories checked
depends on the platform; e.g. File::Spec::Unix checks \f(CW$ENV\fR{\s-1TMPDIR\s0} and
/tmp.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $tmpdir = File::Spec->tmpdir();
.Ve
.IP "updir" 2
.IX Item "updir"
Returns a string representation of the parent directory.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $updir = File::Spec->updir();
.Ve
.IP "no_upwards" 2
.IX Item "no_upwards"
Given a list of file names, strip out those that refer to a parent
directory. (Does not strip symlinks, only '.', '..', and equivalents.)
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    @paths = File::Spec->no_upwards( @paths );
.Ve
.IP "case_tolerant" 2
.IX Item "case_tolerant"
Returns a true or false value indicating, respectively, that alphabetic
is not or is significant when comparing file specifications.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $is_case_tolerant = File::Spec->case_tolerant();
.Ve
.IP "file_name_is_absolute" 2
.IX Item "file_name_is_absolute"
Takes as argument a path and returns true if it is an absolute path.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $is_absolute = File::Spec->file_name_is_absolute( $path );
.Ve
.Sp
This does not consult the local filesystem on Unix, Win32, \s-1OS/2\s0, or
Mac \s-1OS\s0 (Classic).  It does consult the working environment for \s-1VMS\s0
(see \*(L"file_name_is_absolute\*(R" in File::Spec::VMS).
.IP "path" 2
.IX Item "path"
Takes no argument, returns the environment variable \s-1PATH\s0 as an array.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    @PATH = File::Spec->path();
.Ve
.IP "join" 2
.IX Item "join"
join is the same as catfile.
.IP "splitpath" 2
.IX Item "splitpath"
Splits a path in to volume, directory, and filename portions. On systems
with no concept of volume, returns undef for volume. 
.Sp
.Vb 2
\&    ($volume,$directories,$file) = File::Spec->splitpath( $path );
\&    ($volume,$directories,$file) = File::Spec->splitpath( $path, $no_file );
.Ve
.Sp
For systems with no syntax differentiating filenames from directories, 
assumes that the last file is a path unless \f(CW$no_file\fR is true or a 
trailing separator or /. or /.. is present. On Unix this means that \f(CW$no_file\fR
true makes this return ( '', \f(CW$path\fR, '' ).
.Sp
The directory portion may or may not be returned with a trailing '/'.
.Sp
The results can be passed to \*(L"\fIcatpath()\fR\*(R" to get back a path equivalent to
(usually identical to) the original path.
.IP "splitdir" 2
.IX Item "splitdir"
The opposite of \*(L"\fIcatdir()\fR\*(R".
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    @dirs = File::Spec->splitdir( $directories );
.Ve
.Sp
$directories must be only the directory portion of the path on systems 
that have the concept of a volume or that have path syntax that differentiates
files from directories.
.Sp
Unlike just splitting the directories on the separator, empty
directory names (\f(CW''\fR) can be returned, because these are significant
on some OSs.
.IP "\fIcatpath()\fR" 2
.IX Item "catpath()"
Takes volume, directory and file portions and returns an entire path. Under
Unix, \f(CW$volume\fR is ignored, and directory and file are catenated.  A '/' is
inserted if need be.  On other OSs, \f(CW$volume\fR is significant.
.Sp
.Vb 1
\&    $full_path = File::Spec->catpath( $volume, $directory, $file );
.Ve
.IP "abs2rel" 2
.IX Item "abs2rel"
Takes a destination path and an optional base path returns a relative path
from the base path to the destination path:
.Sp
.Vb 2
\&    $rel_path = File::Spec->abs2rel( $path ) ;
\&    $rel_path = File::Spec->abs2rel( $path, $base ) ;
.Ve
.Sp
If \f(CW$base\fR is not present or '', then \fIcwd()\fR is used. If \f(CW$base\fR is relative, 
then it is converted to absolute form using \*(L"\fIrel2abs()\fR\*(R". This means that it
is taken to be relative to \fIcwd()\fR.
.Sp
On systems with the concept of a volume, this assumes that both paths 
are on the \f(CW$destination\fR volume, and ignores the \f(CW$base\fR volume. 
.Sp
On systems that have a grammar that indicates filenames, this ignores the 
\&\f(CW$base\fR filename as well. Otherwise all path components are assumed to be
directories.
.Sp
If \f(CW$path\fR is relative, it is converted to absolute form using \*(L"\fIrel2abs()\fR\*(R".
This means that it is taken to be relative to \fIcwd()\fR.
.Sp
No checks against the filesystem are made.  On \s-1VMS\s0, there is
interaction with the working environment, as logicals and
macros are expanded.
.Sp
Based on code written by Shigio Yamaguchi.
.IP "\fIrel2abs()\fR" 2
.IX Item "rel2abs()"
Converts a relative path to an absolute path. 
.Sp
.Vb 2
\&    $abs_path = File::Spec->rel2abs( $path ) ;
\&    $abs_path = File::Spec->rel2abs( $path, $base ) ;
.Ve
.Sp
If \f(CW$base\fR is not present or '', then \fIcwd()\fR is used. If \f(CW$base\fR is relative, 
then it is converted to absolute form using \*(L"\fIrel2abs()\fR\*(R". This means that it
is taken to be relative to \fIcwd()\fR.
.Sp
On systems with the concept of a volume, this assumes that both paths 
are on the \f(CW$base\fR volume, and ignores the \f(CW$path\fR volume. 
.Sp
On systems that have a grammar that indicates filenames, this ignores the 
\&\f(CW$base\fR filename as well. Otherwise all path components are assumed to be
directories.
.Sp
If \f(CW$path\fR is absolute, it is cleaned up and returned using \*(L"\fIcanonpath()\fR\*(R".
.Sp
No checks against the filesystem are made.  On \s-1VMS\s0, there is
interaction with the working environment, as logicals and
macros are expanded.
.Sp
Based on code written by Shigio Yamaguchi.
.PP
For further information, please see File::Spec::Unix,
File::Spec::Mac, File::Spec::OS2, File::Spec::Win32, or
File::Spec::VMS.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.IX Header "SEE ALSO"
File::Spec::Unix, File::Spec::Mac, File::Spec::OS2,
File::Spec::Win32, File::Spec::VMS, File::Spec::Functions,
ExtUtils::MakeMaker
.SH "AUTHORS"
.IX Header "AUTHORS"
Kenneth Albanowski <kjahds@kjahds.com>, Andy Dougherty
<doughera@lafcol.lafayette.edu>, Andreas Ko\*:nig
<A.Koenig@franz.ww.TU\-Berlin.DE>, Tim Bunce <Tim.Bunce@ig.co.uk.
\&\s-1VMS\s0 support by Charles Bailey <bailey@newman.upenn.edu>.
\&\s-1OS/2\s0 support by Ilya Zakharevich <ilya@math.ohio\-state.edu>.
Mac support by Paul Schinder <schinder@pobox.com>, and Thomas Wegner
<wegner_thomas@yahoo.com>.  \fIabs2rel()\fR and \fIrel2abs()\fR written by Shigio
Yamaguchi <shigio@tamacom.com>, modified by Barrie Slaymaker
<barries@slaysys.com>.  \fIsplitpath()\fR, \fIsplitdir()\fR, \fIcatpath()\fR and
\&\fIcatdir()\fR by Barrie Slaymaker.