truename

ToC

Allegro CL

ANSI Common Lisp

20 Files

20.2 Dictionary of Files

20.2.4 truename

Function

Syntax:

truename filespec

truename

Arguments and Values:

filespec - a pathname designator.

truename - a physical pathname.

Description:

truename tries to find the file indicated by filespec and returns its truename. If the filespec designator is an open stream, its associated file is used. If filespec is a stream, truename can be used whether the stream is open or closed. It is permissible for truename to return more specific information after the stream is closed than when the stream was open. If filespec is a pathname it represents the name used to open the file. This may be, but is not required to be, the actual name of the file.

Examples:

;; An example involving version numbers.  Note that the precise nature of
;; the truename is implementation-dependent while the file is still open.
 (with-open-file (stream ">vistor>test.text.newest")
   (values (pathname stream)
           (truename stream)))
 #P"S:>vistor>test.text.newest", #P"S:>vistor>test.text.1"
OR#P"S:>vistor>test.text.newest", #P"S:>vistor>test.text.newest"
OR#P"S:>vistor>test.text.newest", #P"S:>vistor>_temp_._temp_.1"

;; In this case, the file is closed when the truename is tried, so the
;; truename information is reliable.
 (with-open-file (stream ">vistor>test.text.newest")
   (close stream)
   (values (pathname stream)
           (truename stream)))
 #P"S:>vistor>test.text.newest", #P"S:>vistor>test.text.1"

;; An example involving TOP-20's implementation-dependent concept 
;; of logical devices -- in this case, "DOC:" is shorthand for
;; "PS:<DOCUMENTATION>" ...
 (with-open-file (stream "CMUC::DOC:DUMPER.HLP")
   (values (pathname stream)
           (truename stream)))
 #P"CMUC::DOC:DUMPER.HLP", #P"CMUC::PS:<DOCUMENTATION>DUMPER.HLP.13"

Exceptional Situations:

An error of type file-error is signaled if an appropriate file cannot be located within the file system for the given filespec, or if the file system cannot perform the requested operation.

An error of type file-error is signaled if pathname is wild.

See Also:

pathname, logical-pathname, Section 20.1 File System Concepts, Section 19.1.2 Pathnames as Filenames

Notes:

truename may be used to account for any filename translations performed by the file system.

Allegro CL Implementation Details:

Allegro CL has added a keyword arguments to control following symlinks. See Extensions to cl:truename in implementation.htm. Note the links are to the documentation for the current Allegro CL version. Replace /current/ in the URL with the Allegro CL version number to see similar documentation in earlier releases.