CODEWITHSUNDEEP
.netfilepath
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Reputation: 62736

How can one get an absolute or normalized file path in .NET?

How can one with minimal effort (using some already existing facility, if possible) convert paths like c:\aaa\bbb\..\ccc to c:\aaa\ccc?

Upvotes: 66

Views: 39728

Answers (4)

Mike S
Mike S

Reputation: 3169

FileInfo objects can also help here. (https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/api/system.io.fileinfo?view=net-5.0)

var x = Path.Combine(@"C:\temp", "..\\def/abc");
var y = new FileInfo(x).FullName; // "C:\\def\\abc"

FileInfo vs. DirectoryInfo can also help if you want to control the file vs. directory distinction.

But Path.GetFullPath is better if you just need the string.

Upvotes: 2

nawfal
nawfal

Reputation: 73163

I would write it like this:

public static string NormalizePath(string path)
{
    return Path.GetFullPath(new Uri(path).LocalPath)
               .TrimEnd(Path.DirectorySeparatorChar, Path.AltDirectorySeparatorChar)
               .ToUpperInvariant();
}

This should handle few scenarios like

  1. uri and potential escaped characters in it, like

    file:///C:/Test%20Project.exe -> C:\TEST PROJECT.EXE

  2. path segments specified by dots to denote current or parent directory

    c:\aaa\bbb\..\ccc -> C:\AAA\CCC

  3. tilde shortened (long) paths

    C:\Progra~1\ -> C:\PROGRAM FILES

  4. inconsistent directory delimiter character

    C:/Documents\abc.txt -> C:\DOCUMENTS\ABC.TXT

Other than those, it can ignore case, trailing \ directory delimiter character etc.

Upvotes: 81

bdukes
bdukes

Reputation: 155925

Canonicalization is one of the main responsibilities of the Uri class in .NET.

var path = @"c:\aaa\bbb\..\ccc";
var canonicalPath = new Uri(path).LocalPath; // c:\aaa\ccc

Upvotes: 30

leppie
leppie

Reputation: 117220

Path.GetFullPath perhaps?

Upvotes: 65

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