File Constructors

A File object is constructed by a program and used while it is running to manipulate a disk file and to get information about it. When a program finishes, the File object is no more, but the file remains on disk (unless it has been deleted). Here is one of the constructors for the class File:

File( String pathName  )      // Construct a File object for a file 
                              // with name pathName.

The path name of a file is a chain of directory names followed by a file name. The directory names are separated by a special character. The syntax for directory names, separators, and file names depends on the operating system. Here is a path name for a MS Windows file:

C:\MyFiles\Programs\Examples\someFile.txt

The directory separator character (for MS Windows) is "\". The last part of the path name, following the last separator, is the file name. Here is a Unix path name:

/usr/frodo/Programs/Examples/someFile.txt

Path names are relative or absolute. An absolute path name gives the complete chain of directories from the root directory to the file. A relative path name starts with any directory in the chain and continues to the file. Both relative and absolute path names may be used with the File constructor.

File progFile = new File( "C:\MyFiles\Programs\Examples\someFile.txt" );