NAME
    File::Spec - portably perform operations on file names

SYNOPSIS
            use File::Spec;

            $x=File::Spec->catfile('a', 'b', 'c');

    which returns 'a/b/c' under Unix. Or:

            use File::Spec::Functions;
        
            $x = catfile('a', 'b', 'c');

DESCRIPTION
    This module is designed to support operations commonly performed on file
    specifications (usually called "file names", but not to be confused with
    the contents of a file, or Perl's file handles), such as concatenating
    several directory and file names into a single path, or determining
    whether a path is rooted. It is based on code directly taken from
    MakeMaker 5.17, code written by Andreas König, Andy Dougherty, Charles
    Bailey, Ilya Zakharevich, Paul Schinder, and others.

    Since these functions are different for most operating systems, each set
    of OS specific routines is available in a separate module, including:

            File::Spec::Unix
            File::Spec::Mac
            File::Spec::OS2
            File::Spec::Win32
            File::Spec::VMS

    The module appropriate for the current OS is automatically loaded by
    File::Spec. Since some modules (like VMS) make use of facilities only
    under that OS, it may not be possible to load all modules under all
    operating systems.

    Since File::Spec is object oriented, subroutines should not called
    directly, as in:

            File::Spec::catfile('a','b');

    but rather as class methods:

            File::Spec->catfile('a','b');

    Alternatively, File::Spec::Functions can be used instead, which exports
    functions for all of the class methods provided by File::Spec, including
    catfile, so you may say:

            use File::Spec::Functions;
        
            catfile('a','b');

    For a reference of available functions, pleaes consult File::Spec::Unix,
    which contains the entire set, and which is inherited by the modules for
    other platforms. For further information, please see File::Spec::Mac,
    File::Spec::OS2, File::Spec::Win32, or File::Spec::VMS.

SEE ALSO
    File::Spec::Unix, File::Spec::Mac, File::Spec::OS2, File::Spec::Win32,
    File::Spec::VMS, ExtUtils::MakeMaker

AUTHORS
    Kenneth Albanowski <kjahds@kjahds.com>, Andy Dougherty
    <doughera@lafcol.lafayette.edu>, Andreas König
    <A.Koenig@franz.ww.TU-Berlin.DE>, Tim Bunce <Tim.Bunce@ig.co.uk>. VMS
    support by Charles Bailey <bailey@newman.upenn.edu>. OS/2 support by
    Ilya Zakharevich <ilya@math.ohio-state.edu>. Mac support by Paul
    Schinder <schinder@pobox.com>.

