Disk Path Specifier

The directory can be specified by full or by relative path. The relative path uses current directory, it specifies the path relatively to current directory (e.g. subdirectory of current directory). The full path is totally independent on current directory, it specifies all necessary information to reach the directory.

Full Disk Paths

There are two types of full paths. The first, so-called local path, uses drive letters (e.g. C:\WINDOWS). The second, so-called UNC path, uses UNC (Universal Naming Convention, e.g. \\SERVER\SHARE\WINDOWS). You can see all available drive letters in the Change Drive Menu. First two parts of UNC paths (server and share) are listed in the Network window which is accessible from the Change Drive Menu.

Relative Disk Paths

Relative paths can be specified relatively to current directory (e.g. SUBDIR) or to the last visited directory on drive (e.g. C:SUBDIR is relative to the last visited directory on drive C:). If relative path begins with backslash, it specifies path relatively to the root. Relative path can contain special names - two points (..) and one point (.). Two points stand for parent directory and one point stands for current directory. See following table with samples of relative paths.

Relative Disk Paths:

Current Directory Relative Disk Path Resulting Full Disk Path
C:\WINDOWS SYSTEM C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM D: D:\WORK (provided that last visited directory on drive D: is D:\WORK)
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM D:TEST D:\WORK\TEST (provided that last visited directory on drive D: is D:\WORK)
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM \TEMP C:\TEMP
\\NTSERVER\BIGDISK\MEDIA\PICTURES ..\MOVIES \\NTSERVER\BIGDISK\­MEDIA\MOVIES
\\NTSERVER\BIGDISK\MEDIA\PICTURES . \\NTSERVER\BIGDISK\­MEDIA\PICTURES
C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM COLOR\..\..\HELP\. C:\WINDOWS\HELP (easier and equivalent relative path is ..\HELP)