file - Manipulate file names and attributes

http://purl.org/tcl/home/man/tcl8.4/TclCmd/file.htm

'''file''' ''option name ?arg arg ...?''

This command provides several operations on a file's name or attributes. ''Name'' is the name of a file; if it starts with a tilde, then tilde substitution is done before executing the command (see the manual entry for '''[filename]''' for details).  ''Option'' indicates what to do with the file ''name''.  Any unique abbreviation for ''option'' is acceptable.  The valid options are: (see complete man page; here's only notes on selected options).

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'''[file atime]''' ''name ?time?''

'''[file attributes]''' ''name''

'''[file attributes]''' ''name ?option?''

'''[file attributes]''' ''name ?option value option value...?''

'''[file channels]''' ''?pattern?''

'''[file copy]''' ''?'''''-force'''''? ?'''''--'''''? source target''

'''[file copy]''' ''?'''''-force'''''? ?'''''--'''''? source ?source ...? targetDir''

'''[file delete]''' ''?'''''-force'''''? ?'''''--'''''? pathname ?pathname ... ?''

'''[file dirname]''' ''name''

'''[file executable]''' ''name''

'''[file exists]''' ''name''

'''[file extension]''' ''name''

'''[file isdirectory]''' ''name''

'''[file isfile]''' ''name''

'''[file join]''' ''name ?name ...?''

'''[file link]''' ''?-linktype? linkName ?target?'' (requires Tcl8.4)

'''[file lstat]''' ''name varName''

'''[file mkdir]''' ''dir ?dir ...?''

'''[file mtime]''' ''name ?time?''

'''[file nativename]''' ''name''

'''[file normalize]''' ''name'' (requires Tcl8.4)

'''[file owned]''' ''name''

'''[file pathtype]''' ''name''

'''[file readable]''' ''name''

'''[file readlink]''' ''name''

'''[file rename]''' ''?'''''-force'''''? ?'''''--'''''? source target''

'''[file rename]''' ''?'''''-force'''''? ?'''''--'''''? source ?source ...? targetDir''

'''[file rootname]''' ''name''

'''[file separator]''' ''?name?''

'''[file size]''' ''name''

'''[file split]''' ''name''

'''[file stat]''' ''name varName''

'''[file system]''' ''name'' (requires Tcl8.4)

'''[file tail]''' ''name''

'''[file type]''' ''name''

'''[file volumes]'''

'''[file writable]''' ''name''
 
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[[Hopefully someone will provide some samples to show how these are useful. With the new [VFS] support in [Tcl] 8.4, and an appropriate extension, '''file''' can operate on much more than just local files (see the [One-line web browser in Tcl] for example).]]

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'''Can someone comment on what happens if the current working directory is on a different drive?'''
 
Yes. The question is essentially nonsensical because the current working directory is a per-drive attribute. What happens if I try to open the door, but the other door is open?

Hmm , so the following sequence, in Windows, is nonsense?

 cd C:/tcl/lib
 set fd [open "G:list.txt" "w"]
 set lst [glob *]
 puts $fd $lst
 close $fd

Interesting- I never realized that Windows was so brain-damaged.

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[LES]: One may want to use this [proc] to catch a quick grasp of and/or memorize all the [file] commands:

 proc  fileinfo  { myFile }  	{
	puts  "file name: $myFile"
	puts  "exists: [ file  exists  $myFile ]"
	puts  "----------------"
	puts  "type: [ file  type  $myFile ]"
	puts  "size: [ file  size  $myFile ]"
	puts  ""
	puts  "atime: [ file  atime  $myFile ]"
	puts  "mtime: [ file  mtime  $myFile ]"
	puts  ""
	puts  "pathtype: [ file  pathtype  $myFile ]"
	puts  "dirname: [ file  dirname  $myFile ]"
	puts  "separator: [ file  separator  $myFile ]"
	puts  "nativename: [ file  nativename  $myFile ]"
	puts  "normalize: [ file  normalize  $myFile ]"
	puts  "rootname: [ file  rootname  $myFile ]"
	puts  "tail: [ file  tail  $myFile ]"
	puts  "extension: [ file  extension  $myFile ]"
	puts  "join: [ file  join  $myFile ]"
	puts  ""
	puts  "attributes: [ file  attributes  $myFile ]"
	puts  "owned: [ file  owned  $myFile ]"
	puts  "readable: [ file  readable  $myFile ]"
	puts  "writable: [ file  writable  $myFile ]"
	puts  "executable: [ file  executable  $myFile ]"
	puts  ""
	puts  "channels: [ file  channels  $myFile ]"
	puts  "system: [ file  system  $myFile ]"
 }

run it: '''$ fileinfo somefile.txt'''

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See also:

   * [filesystem benchmarking]

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[Tcl syntax help] -
[Arts and Crafts of Tcl-Tk Programming] -
[Category Command] -
[Additional file commands]