File Functions > File System Review > Paths

Paths

The directory of a disk may grow into a complex, treelike structure if extensive use is made of subfolders. In order to access a file, a path, which describes how to reach the file through the directory structure, must be specified.

A typical path description may appear as:

C:\CFRImages\Insects\Drosophila Melanogaster.CFRD

The C: indicates that disk drive C is to be used. The first backslash(\) indicates that the path starts in the root directory. CFRImages indicates the folder called CFRImages. \Insects indicates that the Insects subfolder is to be used. The file referred is Drosophila Melanogaster.CFRD. Note that the first backslash (\) is used to indicate that the path begins with the root directory. Subsequent backslashes are simply separators between elements of the path.