8 my %module = (MacOS => 'Mac',
13 NetWare => 'Win32', # Yes, File::Spec::Win32 works on NetWare.
14 dos => 'OS2', # Yes, File::Spec::OS2 works on DJGPP.
18 my $module = $module{$^O} || 'Unix';
20 require "File/Spec/$module.pm";
21 @ISA = ("File::Spec::$module");
29 File::Spec - portably perform operations on file names
35 $x=File::Spec->catfile('a', 'b', 'c');
37 which returns 'a/b/c' under Unix. Or:
39 use File::Spec::Functions;
41 $x = catfile('a', 'b', 'c');
45 This module is designed to support operations commonly performed on file
46 specifications (usually called "file names", but not to be confused with the
47 contents of a file, or Perl's file handles), such as concatenating several
48 directory and file names into a single path, or determining whether a path
49 is rooted. It is based on code directly taken from MakeMaker 5.17, code
50 written by Andreas KE<ouml>nig, Andy Dougherty, Charles Bailey, Ilya
51 Zakharevich, Paul Schinder, and others.
53 Since these functions are different for most operating systems, each set of
54 OS specific routines is available in a separate module, including:
62 The module appropriate for the current OS is automatically loaded by
63 File::Spec. Since some modules (like VMS) make use of facilities available
64 only under that OS, it may not be possible to load all modules under all
67 Since File::Spec is object oriented, subroutines should not be called directly,
70 File::Spec::catfile('a','b');
72 but rather as class methods:
74 File::Spec->catfile('a','b');
76 For simple uses, L<File::Spec::Functions> provides convenient functional
77 forms of these methods.
85 No physical check on the filesystem, but a logical cleanup of a
88 $cpath = File::Spec->canonpath( $path ) ;
92 Concatenate two or more directory names to form a complete path ending
93 with a directory. But remove the trailing slash from the resulting
94 string, because it doesn't look good, isn't necessary and confuses
95 OS2. Of course, if this is the root directory, don't cut off the
98 $path = File::Spec->catdir( @directories );
102 Concatenate one or more directory names and a filename to form a
103 complete path ending with a filename
105 $path = File::Spec->catfile( @directories, $filename );
109 Returns a string representation of the current directory.
111 $curdir = File::Spec->curdir();
115 Returns a string representation of the null device.
117 $devnull = File::Spec->devnull();
121 Returns a string representation of the root directory.
123 $rootdir = File::Spec->rootdir();
127 Returns a string representation of the first writable directory from a
128 list of possible temporary directories. Returns "" if no writable
129 temporary directories are found. The list of directories checked
130 depends on the platform; e.g. File::Spec::Unix checks $ENV{TMPDIR} and
133 $tmpdir = File::Spec->tmpdir();
137 Returns a string representation of the parent directory.
139 $updir = File::Spec->updir();
143 Given a list of file names, strip out those that refer to a parent
144 directory. (Does not strip symlinks, only '.', '..', and equivalents.)
146 @paths = File::Spec->no_upwards( @paths );
150 Returns a true or false value indicating, respectively, that alphabetic
151 is not or is significant when comparing file specifications.
153 $is_case_tolerant = File::Spec->case_tolerant();
155 =item file_name_is_absolute
157 Takes as argument a path and returns true if it is an absolute path.
159 $is_absolute = File::Spec->file_name_is_absolute( $path );
161 This does not consult the local filesystem on Unix, Win32, OS/2, or
162 Mac OS (Classic). It does consult the working environment for VMS
163 (see L<File::Spec::VMS/file_name_is_absolute>).
167 Takes no argument, returns the environment variable PATH as an array.
169 @PATH = File::Spec->path();
173 join is the same as catfile.
177 Splits a path in to volume, directory, and filename portions. On systems
178 with no concept of volume, returns undef for volume.
180 ($volume,$directories,$file) = File::Spec->splitpath( $path );
181 ($volume,$directories,$file) = File::Spec->splitpath( $path, $no_file );
183 For systems with no syntax differentiating filenames from directories,
184 assumes that the last file is a path unless $no_file is true or a
185 trailing separator or /. or /.. is present. On Unix this means that $no_file
186 true makes this return ( '', $path, '' ).
188 The directory portion may or may not be returned with a trailing '/'.
190 The results can be passed to L</catpath()> to get back a path equivalent to
191 (usually identical to) the original path.
195 The opposite of L</catdir()>.
197 @dirs = File::Spec->splitdir( $directories );
199 $directories must be only the directory portion of the path on systems
200 that have the concept of a volume or that have path syntax that differentiates
201 files from directories.
203 Unlike just splitting the directories on the separator, empty
204 directory names (C<''>) can be returned, because these are significant
209 Takes volume, directory and file portions and returns an entire path. Under
210 Unix, $volume is ignored, and directory and file are catenated. A '/' is
211 inserted if need be. On other OSs, $volume is significant.
213 $full_path = File::Spec->catpath( $volume, $directory, $file );
217 Takes a destination path and an optional base path returns a relative path
218 from the base path to the destination path:
220 $rel_path = File::Spec->abs2rel( $path ) ;
221 $rel_path = File::Spec->abs2rel( $path, $base ) ;
223 If $base is not present or '', then L<cwd()|Cwd> is used. If $base is relative,
224 then it is converted to absolute form using L</rel2abs()>. This means that it
225 is taken to be relative to L<cwd()|Cwd>.
227 On systems with the concept of a volume, this assumes that both paths
228 are on the $destination volume, and ignores the $base volume.
230 On systems that have a grammar that indicates filenames, this ignores the
231 $base filename as well. Otherwise all path components are assumed to be
234 If $path is relative, it is converted to absolute form using L</rel2abs()>.
235 This means that it is taken to be relative to L<cwd()|Cwd>.
237 No checks against the filesystem are made. On VMS, there is
238 interaction with the working environment, as logicals and
241 Based on code written by Shigio Yamaguchi.
245 Converts a relative path to an absolute path.
247 $abs_path = File::Spec->rel2abs( $path ) ;
248 $abs_path = File::Spec->rel2abs( $path, $base ) ;
250 If $base is not present or '', then L<cwd()|Cwd> is used. If $base is relative,
251 then it is converted to absolute form using L</rel2abs()>. This means that it
252 is taken to be relative to L<cwd()|Cwd>.
254 On systems with the concept of a volume, this assumes that both paths
255 are on the $base volume, and ignores the $path volume.
257 On systems that have a grammar that indicates filenames, this ignores the
258 $base filename as well. Otherwise all path components are assumed to be
261 If $path is absolute, it is cleaned up and returned using L</canonpath()>.
263 No checks against the filesystem are made. On VMS, there is
264 interaction with the working environment, as logicals and
267 Based on code written by Shigio Yamaguchi.
271 For further information, please see L<File::Spec::Unix>,
272 L<File::Spec::Mac>, L<File::Spec::OS2>, L<File::Spec::Win32>, or
277 L<File::Spec::Unix>, L<File::Spec::Mac>, L<File::Spec::OS2>,
278 L<File::Spec::Win32>, L<File::Spec::VMS>, L<File::Spec::Functions>,
279 L<ExtUtils::MakeMaker>
283 Kenneth Albanowski <kjahds@kjahds.com>, Andy Dougherty
284 <doughera@lafcol.lafayette.edu>, Andreas KE<ouml>nig
285 <A.Koenig@franz.ww.TU-Berlin.DE>, Tim Bunce <Tim.Bunce@ig.co.uk.
286 VMS support by Charles Bailey <bailey@newman.upenn.edu>.
287 OS/2 support by Ilya Zakharevich <ilya@math.ohio-state.edu>.
288 Mac support by Paul Schinder <schinder@pobox.com>, and Thomas Wegner
289 <wegner_thomas@yahoo.com>. abs2rel() and rel2abs() written by Shigio
290 Yamaguchi <shigio@tamacom.com>, modified by Barrie Slaymaker
291 <barries@slaysys.com>. splitpath(), splitdir(), catpath() and
292 catdir() by Barrie Slaymaker.