Editing Path (computing) (section)

==Examples==

===Unix===
The following examples are for typical, Unix-based file systems:

Given the working directory is {{code|/home/mark/}} and it contains subdirectory {{code|bobapples}}, relative paths to the subdirectory include {{code|./bobapples}} and {{code|bobapples}}, and the absolute path is {{code|/home/mark/bobapples}}. A command to change the working directory to the subdirectory:

<syntaxhighlight lang="console>
$ cd bobapples
</syntaxhighlight>

If the working directory was {{code|/home/jo}}, then the relative path {{code|../mark/bobapples}} specifies the subdirectory. The double dots {{code|..}} indicates a move up the directory hierarchy one level to {{code|/home}}, the rest indicates moving down to {{code|mark}} and then {{code|boapples}}.

===Microsoft shells===
{{More citations needed section|date=November 2020}}

[[File:Dir command in Windows Command Prompt.png|thumb|300px|Screenshot of a [[Microsoft Windows|Windows]] [[Command Prompt]] shell showing filenames in a directory]]

<!--Contrary to popular belief, -->
The [[Windows API]] accepts slash for path delimiter.

Unlike Unix that always has a single root directory, a Windows file system has a root for each storage drive. An absolute path includes a drive letter or uses the UNC format.

A UNC path (starting with {{code|\\?\}}) does not support slashes.<ref name="w32paths" />

<code>A:\Temp\File.txt</code> is an absolute path that specifies a file named {{code|File.txt}} in the directory {{code|Temp}} which is in the root of drive {{code|A:}}:

<code>C:..\File.txt</code> is a relative path that specifies file {{code|File.txt}} located in the parent of the working directory on drive {{code|C:}}:

<code>Folder\SubFolder\File.txt</code> is a relative path that specifies file {{code|File.txt}} in directory {{code|SubFolder}} which is in directory {{code|Folder}} which is in the working directory of the current drive:

<code>File.txt</code> is a relative path that specifies <code>File.txt</code> in the working directory:

<code>\\.\COM1</code> specifies the first [[serial port]], [[COM (hardware interface)|COM1]]:

The following uses a path with slashes for directory delimiter:

<syntaxhighlight lang="doscon">
C:\>more < C:/Windows/system.ini
; for 16-bit app support
[386Enh]
woafont=dosapp.fon
EGA80WOA.FON=EGA80WOA.FON
EGA40WOA.FON=EGA40WOA.FON
CGA80WOA.FON=CGA80WOA.FON
CGA40WOA.FON=CGA40WOA.FON
...
</syntaxhighlight>

A path with forward slashes may need to be surrounded by double quotes to disambiguate from command-line switches. For example, {{code|dir /windows}} is invalid, but {{code|dir "/window"}} is valid. And {{code|cd}} is more lenient by allowing {{code|cd /windows}}.