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From: Tucker Taft <stt@averstar.com>
Subject: Re: Sequential_IO
Date: 1999/08/19
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Date: 1999-08-19T00:00:00+00:00
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Shawn Barber wrote:
> 
> I am using Sequential_IO to read some data from a file. Why
> do I need to specify the full path of the file being read
> when I'm running the program from the directory in which the
> file resides? I'm getting the filename from the command line
> and in I continually get a Name_Error unless I specify the
> path as well. Any ideas? 

On non-Unix systems, the notion of the "current directory" is generally
more confusing than on Unix systems.  For the Mac, the concept doesn't
really exist.  On Win* systems, there are multiple "current" directories,
one for each drive letter (everyone who thinks drive letters are the
dumbest O/S idea of all time raise their hand ;-).  On VMS systems,
the current directory is defined by various environment variables, I believe.

So unless you are on Unix, knowing exactly what is the "current directory"
can be tricky.

> ..., I didn't see anything in the LRM,
> but that doesn't mean it's not there. Thanks.

The intent of the LRM is certainly that you may take advantage of
things like "current directory" or other shortcuts/links.  FWIW, the "Name"
function is supposed to always return a full, unambiguous path name,
no matter how the file was opened.  Unfortunately, all of these
concepts are O/S dependent.

> Shawn
> 
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-- 
-Tucker Taft   stt@averstar.com   http://www.averstar.com/~stt/
Technical Director, Distributed IT Solutions  (www.averstar.com/tools)
AverStar (formerly Intermetrics, Inc.)   Burlington, MA  USA