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In java doc about
File#getPath()
writes:
Converts this abstract pathname into a pathname string.
I try to write1
File file3 = new File("D:\\work");
System.out.println(file3.getPath());
In cmd I see D:\\work
I try to write2:
File file4= new File("file4");
System.out.println(file4.getPath());
In cmd I see:
file4
Thus I have a question:
What the difference between
abstract pathname
and
pathname string
?
428
An abstract pathname has two components: An optional system-dependent prefix string, such as a disk-drive specifier, "/" for the UNIX root directory, or "\\" for a Microsoft Windows UNC pathname, and. A sequence of zero or more string names.
An abstract pathname consists of an optional prefix string, such as disk drive specifiers, “/” for Unix, or “\\” for Windows, and a sequence of zero or more string names. The prefix string is platform-dependent. The last name in the abstract pathname represents a file or directory.
A Path can represent a root, a root and a sequence of names, or simply one or more name elements. A Path is considered to be an empty path if it consists solely of one name element that is empty. Accessing a file using an empty path is equivalent to accessing the default directory of the file system.
An abstract pathname is a java.io.File object and a pathname string is a java.lang.String object. Both reference the same file on the disk.
How do I know?
The first sentence of the Javadoc of java.io.File explains:
An abstract representation of file and directory pathnames.
It goes on to explain why:
User interfaces and operating systems use system-dependent pathname strings to name files and directories. This class presents an abstract, system-independent view of hierarchical pathnames.
192
The abstract pathname is just the string form of the file/location held in the File object.
If you check the javadoc of File#toString():
Returns the pathname string of this abstract pathname. This is just the string returned by the
getPath()method.
39
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