- Always specifying the absolute pathname for a file is tedious!
- Introduce the idea of a working directory; Files are referenced relative to the working directory
- Example: cwd = /home/dizin, profile = /home/dizin/.profile
- Absolute pathname; A path specified from the root of the file system to the file
- A Relative pathname; A pathname specified from the cwd
- Note: `.' (dot) and `..' (dotdot) refer to current and parent directory
- Example: cwd = /home/dizin
- ../../etc/passwd
- /etc/passwd
- ../dizin/../.././etc/passwd
- Are all the same file
2004-05-25