CODEWITHSUNDEEP
java
iHank
iHank

Reputation: 536

Why is isDirectory true for File("c:")?

When I create a File object like

File f = new File("c:")

and then call the method isDirectory(), it returns true. Why is that?

The program is suppose to show all files in that directory and works fine except when Im using the "c:". It is not accessing "c:\", not the home path, but the directory the program is executing from. I really don't understand.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 430

Answers (3)

0riginal
0riginal

Reputation: 137

Try C:\ instead.

File f = new File("C:\\");
System.out.println(f.getAbsolutePath());
System.out.println(f.isDirectory());
System.out.println(f.isFile());

Output:

C:\
true
false

Upvotes: -1

Aditya Ekbote
Aditya Ekbote

Reputation: 1553

This is an interesting question. I'll try to expand on your question (questions should always come with an SSCCE whenever possible)...

Take this code for example:

public class Main{

 public static void main(String[] args){
        File f = new File("C:\\");
        System.out.println("C:\\ is directory: " + f.isDirectory());
        System.out.println("C:\\ exists: " + f.exists());
        System.out.println("C:\\ absolute path: " + f.getAbsolutePath());
        System.out.println();

        f = new File("C:");
        System.out.println("C: is directory: " + f.isDirectory());
        System.out.println("C: exists: " + f.exists());
        System.out.println("C: absolute path: " + f.getAbsolutePath());
        System.out.println();

        f = new File("X:");
        System.out.println("X: is directory: " + f.isDirectory());
        System.out.println("X: exists: " + f.exists());
        System.out.println("X: absolute path: " + f.getAbsolutePath());
        System.out.println();
    }

}

(Note that I do have a C: drive, I do not have an X: drive) This results in this output:

C:\ is directory: true C:\ exists: true C:\ absolute path: C:\

C: is directory: true C: exists: true C: absolute path: C:\Users\kworkman\Desktop\Tests

X: is directory: false X: exists: false X: absolute path: X:

So it seems to handle the C:\ correctly, but C: by itself results in strange output for a directory that doesn't actually exist. This is made stranger because it seems to handle the X: case correctly.

Upvotes: 0

Klas Lindbäck
Klas Lindbäck

Reputation: 33283

In Windows, a current working directory is kept for each drive (A:, B:, C: etc).

When you use a drive without specifying a directory, you are referring to the current working directory of that drive.

C:   refers to the current working directory of drive C:
C:\  refers to the root directory of drive C:

In your case, the current working directory for C: is the directory where the program file resides.

Upvotes: 6

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