8 my %module = (MacOS => 'Mac',
16 my $module = $module{$^O} || 'Unix';
18 if ($^O eq 'MSWin32') {
20 if ($Config::Config{osname} eq 'NetWare') {
25 require "File/Spec/$module.pm";
26 @ISA = ("File::Spec::$module");
34 File::Spec - portably perform operations on file names
40 $x=File::Spec->catfile('a', 'b', 'c');
42 which returns 'a/b/c' under Unix. Or:
44 use File::Spec::Functions;
46 $x = catfile('a', 'b', 'c');
50 This module is designed to support operations commonly performed on file
51 specifications (usually called "file names", but not to be confused with the
52 contents of a file, or Perl's file handles), such as concatenating several
53 directory and file names into a single path, or determining whether a path
54 is rooted. It is based on code directly taken from MakeMaker 5.17, code
55 written by Andreas KE<ouml>nig, Andy Dougherty, Charles Bailey, Ilya
56 Zakharevich, Paul Schinder, and others.
58 Since these functions are different for most operating systems, each set of
59 OS specific routines is available in a separate module, including:
67 The module appropriate for the current OS is automatically loaded by
68 File::Spec. Since some modules (like VMS) make use of facilities available
69 only under that OS, it may not be possible to load all modules under all
72 Since File::Spec is object oriented, subroutines should not be called directly,
75 File::Spec::catfile('a','b');
77 but rather as class methods:
79 File::Spec->catfile('a','b');
81 For simple uses, L<File::Spec::Functions> provides convenient functional
82 forms of these methods.
90 No physical check on the filesystem, but a logical cleanup of a
93 $cpath = File::Spec->canonpath( $path ) ;
97 Concatenate two or more directory names to form a complete path ending
98 with a directory. But remove the trailing slash from the resulting
99 string, because it doesn't look good, isn't necessary and confuses
100 OS2. Of course, if this is the root directory, don't cut off the
103 $path = File::Spec->catdir( @directories );
107 Concatenate one or more directory names and a filename to form a
108 complete path ending with a filename
110 $path = File::Spec->catfile( @directories, $filename );
114 Returns a string representation of the current directory.
116 $curdir = File::Spec->curdir();
120 Returns a string representation of the null device.
122 $devnull = File::Spec->devnull();
126 Returns a string representation of the root directory.
128 $rootdir = File::Spec->rootdir();
132 Returns a string representation of the first writable directory from a
133 list of possible temporary directories. Returns "" if no writable
134 temporary directories are found. The list of directories checked
135 depends on the platform; e.g. File::Spec::Unix checks $ENV{TMPDIR} and
138 $tmpdir = File::Spec->tmpdir();
142 Returns a string representation of the parent directory.
144 $updir = File::Spec->updir();
148 Given a list of file names, strip out those that refer to a parent
149 directory. (Does not strip symlinks, only '.', '..', and equivalents.)
151 @paths = File::Spec->no_upwards( @paths );
155 Returns a true or false value indicating, respectively, that alphabetic
156 is not or is significant when comparing file specifications.
158 $is_case_tolerant = File::Spec->case_tolerant();
160 =item file_name_is_absolute
162 Takes as argument a path and returns true if it is an absolute path.
164 $is_absolute = File::Spec->file_name_is_absolute( $path );
166 This does not consult the local filesystem on Unix, Win32, OS/2, or
167 Mac OS (Classic). It does consult the working environment for VMS
168 (see L<File::Spec::VMS/file_name_is_absolute>).
172 Takes no argument, returns the environment variable PATH as an array.
174 @PATH = File::Spec->path();
178 join is the same as catfile.
182 Splits a path in to volume, directory, and filename portions. On systems
183 with no concept of volume, returns undef for volume.
185 ($volume,$directories,$file) = File::Spec->splitpath( $path );
186 ($volume,$directories,$file) = File::Spec->splitpath( $path, $no_file );
188 For systems with no syntax differentiating filenames from directories,
189 assumes that the last file is a path unless $no_file is true or a
190 trailing separator or /. or /.. is present. On Unix this means that $no_file
191 true makes this return ( '', $path, '' ).
193 The directory portion may or may not be returned with a trailing '/'.
195 The results can be passed to L</catpath()> to get back a path equivalent to
196 (usually identical to) the original path.
200 The opposite of L</catdir()>.
202 @dirs = File::Spec->splitdir( $directories );
204 $directories must be only the directory portion of the path on systems
205 that have the concept of a volume or that have path syntax that differentiates
206 files from directories.
208 Unlike just splitting the directories on the separator, empty
209 directory names (C<''>) can be returned, because these are significant
214 Takes volume, directory and file portions and returns an entire path. Under
215 Unix, $volume is ignored, and directory and file are catenated. A '/' is
216 inserted if need be. On other OSs, $volume is significant.
218 $full_path = File::Spec->catpath( $volume, $directory, $file );
222 Takes a destination path and an optional base path returns a relative path
223 from the base path to the destination path:
225 $rel_path = File::Spec->abs2rel( $path ) ;
226 $rel_path = File::Spec->abs2rel( $path, $base ) ;
228 If $base is not present or '', then L<cwd()|Cwd> is used. If $base is relative,
229 then it is converted to absolute form using L</rel2abs()>. This means that it
230 is taken to be relative to L<cwd()|Cwd>.
232 On systems with the concept of a volume, this assumes that both paths
233 are on the $destination volume, and ignores the $base volume.
235 On systems that have a grammar that indicates filenames, this ignores the
236 $base filename as well. Otherwise all path components are assumed to be
239 If $path is relative, it is converted to absolute form using L</rel2abs()>.
240 This means that it is taken to be relative to L<cwd()|Cwd>.
242 No checks against the filesystem are made. On VMS, there is
243 interaction with the working environment, as logicals and
246 Based on code written by Shigio Yamaguchi.
250 Converts a relative path to an absolute path.
252 $abs_path = File::Spec->rel2abs( $path ) ;
253 $abs_path = File::Spec->rel2abs( $path, $base ) ;
255 If $base is not present or '', then L<cwd()|Cwd> is used. If $base is relative,
256 then it is converted to absolute form using L</rel2abs()>. This means that it
257 is taken to be relative to L<cwd()|Cwd>.
259 On systems with the concept of a volume, this assumes that both paths
260 are on the $base volume, and ignores the $path volume.
262 On systems that have a grammar that indicates filenames, this ignores the
263 $base filename as well. Otherwise all path components are assumed to be
266 If $path is absolute, it is cleaned up and returned using L</canonpath()>.
268 No checks against the filesystem are made. On VMS, there is
269 interaction with the working environment, as logicals and
272 Based on code written by Shigio Yamaguchi.
276 For further information, please see L<File::Spec::Unix>,
277 L<File::Spec::Mac>, L<File::Spec::OS2>, L<File::Spec::Win32>, or
282 L<File::Spec::Unix>, L<File::Spec::Mac>, L<File::Spec::OS2>,
283 L<File::Spec::Win32>, L<File::Spec::VMS>, L<File::Spec::Functions>,
284 L<ExtUtils::MakeMaker>
288 Kenneth Albanowski <kjahds@kjahds.com>, Andy Dougherty
289 <doughera@lafcol.lafayette.edu>, Andreas KE<ouml>nig
290 <A.Koenig@franz.ww.TU-Berlin.DE>, Tim Bunce <Tim.Bunce@ig.co.uk.
291 VMS support by Charles Bailey <bailey@newman.upenn.edu>.
292 OS/2 support by Ilya Zakharevich <ilya@math.ohio-state.edu>.
293 Mac support by Paul Schinder <schinder@pobox.com>, and Thomas Wegner
294 <wegner_thomas@yahoo.com>. abs2rel() and rel2abs() written by Shigio
295 Yamaguchi <shigio@tamacom.com>, modified by Barrie Slaymaker
296 <barries@slaysys.com>. splitpath(), splitdir(), catpath() and
297 catdir() by Barrie Slaymaker.