Acorn Communicator Filestore Manager's Guide

that when they save a file, it will usually be saved in that directory; if they
attempt to load a file, it will be looked for in that directory.
Changing directory
Users can move to another directory (open another drawer) by using the DIR
command, to gain access to its files. To move to a directory contained in the
current directory, they simply specify its name. To move to a directory that is
elsewhere, they specify the directory's `pathname'.
Directory pathname
A pathname simply states the path that FileStore must take to reach a
directory (or file), as a sequence of directories separated by full stops. If the
first character of the pathname is $ , the path starts in the root directory, $;
otherwise, it starts in the current directory.
Thus, if the current directory were 'EDP', you could refer to the 'MEMOS'
directory as 'MEMOS' or the pathname S.EDP.MEMOS. If the current
directory were 'TEMPS', you could refer to the 'MEMOS' directory as
$ . EDP. MEMOS.
File pathname
Users can also refer to files by using pathnames too, in exactly the same way
as directories. Thus to specify the 'safety' memo, you could type the
pathname:
$.EDP.MEMOS.safety
whatever your current directory.
This is just the same as telling someone how to find something in a filing
cabinet. If they have the right drawer open, you might say 'go to the folder
marked MEMOS and get me the letter with the reference JONES1'. If they
haven't got the right drawer open (or if you're not sure), you might say 'go to
filing cabinet number 2, open the EDP drawer, open the MEMOS folder and
get me the letter with the reference JONES1'.
You can even use a pathname to specify a file or directory on another disc, by
starting the pathname with a colon (:) and the disc's name. For example, to
refer to the file S.ANNE.phones' on a disc named 'WORK l', you would use:
:WORK1.S.ANNE.phones
2 THE FILESTORE MANAGER'S ROLE 5