realpath -- convert a filename to one passing through no symbolic links

Synopsis

Usage:

realpath fn
Inputs:
- fn, a string, a filename, or path to a file
Outputs:
- a string, a pathname to fn passing through no symbolic links, and ending with a slash if fn refers to a directory

Description

i1 : realpath "."

o1 = /tmp/M2-3117-0/74-rundir/

i2 : p = temporaryFileName()

o2 = /tmp/M2-3990-0/0

i3 : q = temporaryFileName()

o3 = /tmp/M2-3990-0/1

i4 : symlinkFile(p,q)

i5 : p << close

o5 = /tmp/M2-3990-0/0

o5 : File

i6 : readlink q

o6 = /tmp/M2-3990-0/0

i7 : realpath q

o7 = /tmp/M2-3990-0/0

i8 : removeFile p

i9 : removeFile q

The empty string is interpreted as a reference to the current directory.

i10 : realpath ""

o10 = /tmp/M2-3117-0/74-rundir/

Caveat

Every component of the path must exist in the file system and be accessible to the user. Terminal slashes will be dropped. Warning: under most operating systems, the value returned is an absolute path (one starting at the root of the file system), but under Solaris, this system call may, in certain circumstances, return a relative path when given a relative path.

For the programmer

The object realpath is a compiled function.

realpath -- convert a filename to one passing through no symbolic links

Synopsis

Description

Caveat

See also

For the programmer