Managing Files and Directories: NSFileManager

A file or directory is uniquely identified to NSFileManager using a pathname to the file. A pathname is an NSString object that can either be a relative or full pathname. A relative pathname is one that is relative to the current directory. So, the filename copy1.m would mean the file copy1.m in the current directory. Slash characters separate a list of directories in a path. The filename ch16/copy1.m is also a relative pathname, identifying the file copy1.m stored in the directory ch16, which is contained in the current directory.

Full pathnames, also known as absolute pathnames, begin with a leading /. Slash is actually a directory, called the root directory. On my Mac, the full pathname to my home directory is /Users/stevekochan. This pathname specifies three directories: / (the root directory), Users, and stevekochan.