HELP PATHNAME 86/07/10
USING PATHNAMES
A pathname describes the path the operating system takes to get from a
starting point to a destination object. A pathname begins with the network's
top directory (called "//") and includes every directory name between the
starting point and the destination object. Slashes separate the names within
a pathname.
A pathname may not exceed 256 characters, including the slashes. Names
between the slashes (called "leaves") may not exceed 32 characters.
This is an example of a pathname:
//dickens/barb/ref_man/ch4
The double slashes (//) at the beginning of the pathname refer to the
network's top directory, called the 'root' directory. The root directory
contains the name of each network node's top directory. The system begins its
search in the network root directory. Next, the system finds the node whose
topmost directory (the "entry directory") is called "dickens". There are many
subdirectories in each node's entry directory. The system searches for the
subdirectory "barb". Next, it looks for "ref_man", a subdirectory in "barb".
Finally, the system locates the file "ch4".
Pathnames may contain any alphanumeric characters, plus a variety of special
operators called "wildcards." (For more information on these, type "HELP
WILDCARDS".) In addition to wildcard characters, four other characters have
special functions in pathnames:
\ The backslash indicates a path UP the directory tree instead
of down. If your working directory is set to "//joe/help" and
you want the file "//joe/down/dirty", you can type
"\down/dirty" to move up one level before looking for the
"down" directory. Multiple backslashes are permissible.
. (period) The period is shorthand for the current working directory.
~ (tilde) The tilde is shorthand for the naming directory (see HELP ND).
` (backquote) The backquote has meaning only when associated with the
NODE_DATA directory. The leaf "`node_data" translates into
the pathname "/SYS/NODE_DATA" for nodes with mounted disks,
and "/SYS/NODE_DATA.node_id" for diskless nodes.