How do I use File.join with File::ALT_SEPARATOR?

Question

I want to use File.join() for building paths in Ruby:

File.Join("Dir1", "Dir2", "Dir3")

Result is:

Dir1/Dir2/Dir3

I want File.join() to uses File::ALT_SEPARATOR for doing this:

Dir1\Dir2\Dir3

How do I do this?

Why do you want it to use reverse slashes? Ruby, and by extension, Rake, doesn't require them. "Ruby will convert pathnames between different operating system conventions if possible. For instance, on a Windows system the filename "/gumby/ruby/test.rb" will be opened as "\gumby\ruby\test.rb". When specifying a Windows-style filename in a Ruby string, remember to escape the backslashes: `"c:\\gumby\\ruby\\test.rb"`" — the Tin Man, May 04 '15 at 15:55
I'd also recommend looking at Ruby's built-in [Pathname](http://ruby-doc.org/stdlib-2.2.2/libdoc/pathname/rdoc/index.html). — the Tin Man, May 04 '15 at 16:00

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered May 04 '15 at 15:32

2

You could use

File.join('Dir1','Dir2').gsub(File::SEPARATOR,
     File::ALT_SEPARATOR || File::SEPARATOR)

answered May 04 '15 at 15:32

K139

3,654
13
17

I guess it's implied that File::ALT_SEPARATOR can be nil on some platforms... I wonder which? – Anthony Mastrean May 05 '15 at 16:16
For some very weird reason, I had to start using this on my Win10 box against paths as args in command-line. Not sure what I updated that broke it... – kayleeFrye_onDeck Apr 28 '17 at 18:11
1

@AnthonyMastrean on linux (at least CentOS) – Kirill Jul 03 '17 at 13:47

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited May 31 '18 at 12:11

1

You can add this function to File:

def File.join_alt(*fnames)
  sep = File::ALT_SEPARATOR || File::SEPARATOR
  fnames.map(&:to_s) # Anything with to_s
    .join(sep)       # Work on all platforms
end

edited May 31 '18 at 12:11

answered May 04 '15 at 15:52

Shalev Shalit

1,945
4
24
34

How do I use File.join with File::ALT_SEPARATOR?

2 Answers2