Filename API Functions

This document lists most useful (and most often needed) functions. Be aware, that there are many more to be found in either the class references or via the builtin class browser.

See also "File Operations" in Expecco_API.
Reference: Filename

Back to Useful API Functions

Construction

Filename homeDirectory => Filename

return a filename representing the user's home folder

Filename currentDirectory => Filename

return a filename representing the current directory

Filename tmpDirectory => Filename

return a filename representing the directory for temporary files (typically, that is determined by a shell variable named "TMPDIR" or similar).

aString asFilename => Filename

given a string, make a filename instance from it. "/"-characters in aString will be replaced by "\" on windows.

aFilename / aString => Filename

allows for portable construction of a path. "/"-characters in aString will be replaced by "\" on windows.

eg. "Filename homeDirectory / 'myFiles' / 'foo'" or "Filename homeDirectory / 'myFiles/foo'" might generate a filename for "/usr/fritz/myFiles/foo" on Unix and "C:\Users\anton\myFiles\foo" on windows.

Queries

aFilename exists

aFilename.exists()   [JS]

Returns true if the file exists.

Example:

 'data.txt' asFilename exists
 => false

aFilename isReadable

aFilename isWritable

aFilename isExecutable

Returns a boolean.
Notice that ïsExecutable" has a special meaning for folders (refer to your Unix/Windows operating system manual).

Example:

 'data.txt' asFilename isReadable
 => false

aFilename fileSize

Returns the file's size (in bytes). 0 if it does not exist (or is empty).

Example:

 'data.txt' asFilename fileSize
 => 0

aFilename modificationTime

aFilename creationTime

aFilename accessTime

Returns the time of the last modification, initial creation and last access of the file.

Notice that Unix operating systems do not record a file's creationTime (in contrast to Windows). There, nil will be returned for creationTime.

Example:

 '/etc' asFilename modificationTime
 => 2018-07-27 11:37:20

 'c:\tmp\test.dat' asFilename modificationTime
 => 2010-01-27 22:37:20

Queries - Name & Path

baseName

Returns the filename's base name. This is the name without directory path - i.e. the file's name within its containing directory.

aFilename baseName

aFilename.baseName() [JS]

Example:

 '/etc/foo.txt' asFilename baseName
 => 'foo.txt'

 'c:\foo\bar\bla.txt.dat' asFilename baseName
 => 'bla.txt.dat'

 'foo' asFilename baseName
 => 'foo'

directory / directoryName

Returns the filename's containing directory either as a new filename instance (directory) or as string (directoryName). This is the directory part of the name.

aFilename directory

aFilename directoryName

aFilename.directory() [JS]

aFilename.directoryName() [JS]

Example:

 '/etc/foo.txt' asFilename directoryName
 => '/etc'

 'c:\foo\bar\bla.txt.dat' asFilename directoryName
 => 'c:\foo\bar'

 'foo' asFilename directoryName
 => '.'

 'c:\foo\bar\bla.txt.dat' asFilename directory directory
 => 'c:\foo'

 '/foo/bar/bla.txt.dat' asFilename directory directory
 => '/foo'

suffix

Returns the filename's suffix, also called its filename extension. This is the part of the name after the last "." (period).

aFilename suffix

aFilename.suffix() [JS]

Example:

 'foo.txt' asFilename suffix
 => 'txt'

 'foo.txt.dat' asFilename suffix
 => 'dat'

 'foo' asFilename suffix
 =>  <- an empty string

withoutSuffix

Returns the filename without filename extension.
That is: it returns the name before the last "." (period).

aFilename withoutSuffix

aFilename.withoutSuffix() [JS]

Example:

 '/etc/foo.txt' asFilename withoutSuffix
 => '/etc/foo'

 'c:\foo\bar\bla.txt.dat' asFilename withoutSuffix
 => 'c:\foo\bar\bla.txt'

 'foo.exe' asFilename withoutSuffix
 => 'foo'

withSuffix:

This returns a new filename instance with a different filename extension after the last "." (period).

aFilename withSuffix: newSuffix

aFilename.withSuffix( newSuffix ) [JS]

Example:

 '/etc/foo.txt' asFilename withSuffix:dat
 => '/etc/foo.dat'

 'c:\foo\bar\bla.txt.dat' asFilename withSuffix:'bbb'
 => 'c:\foo\bar\bla.txt.bbb'

 'foo.exe' asFilename withSuffix:'dat'
 => 'foo.dat'

 'foo' asFilename withSuffix:'dat'
 => 'foo.dat'

Directory Contents

files

Returns a collection of all files in a directory (folder). The returned collection will not include names of subdirectories.

aFilename files

aFilename.files() [JS]

Example:

 '/etc' asFilename files
 => #( ... )

filesMatching:[caseSensitive:]

Returns a collection of all files in a directory (folder) whose name matches given GLOB multi pattern. The returned collection will not include names of subdirectories. The pattern may consist of multiple GLOB patterns, separated by semicolon.

aFilename filesMatching: multiPattern

aFilename filesMatching: multiPattern caseSensitive: boolean

aFilename.filesMatching(multiPattern) [JS]

Example:

 '/etc' asFilename filesMatching: 'a*'
 => #( ... )

 '/etc' asFilename filesMatching: 'a*;b*;x*'
 => #( ... )

 '/tmp' asFilename filesMatching: '*.dat;*.txt'
 => #( ... )

directories

Returns a collection of all sub directories in a directory. The returned collection will not include names of regular files.

aFilename directories

aFilename.directories() [JS]

Example:

 '/etc' asFilename directories
 => #( ... )

Streaming

readStream / writeStream / appendingWriteStream

Returns a stream for reading or writing to the file.
See Stream API Functions on how to use streams.

Example:

|s|
s := 'test.dat' asFilename readStream.
firstLine := s nextLine.
nextChar := s next.
nextNumber := Number readFrom:s
s close

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