filespec

A filespec is a string that identifies a file. It typically includes the file's name and its location within a directory structure. The exact format of a filespec can vary depending on the operating system and the context in which it is used. In some systems, a filespec might simply be the filename if the file is in the current working directory. In other cases, it might include a full path, specifying all the directories from the root of the file system to the file. This path can be absolute, starting from the root, or relative, starting from the current directory.

Filespecs are fundamental to how operating systems and applications manage and access data. They allow users and programs to unambiguously refer to a particular file. For instance, when you open a document in a word processor, the program uses a filespec to locate the file on your storage device. Similarly, command-line interfaces rely on filespecs to execute programs or manipulate files.

Common components of a filespec include directory names, separated by a specific character (like a backslash `\` on Windows or a forward slash `/` on Unix-like systems), and the filename itself, which may include an extension to indicate the file type. Wildcard characters, such as asterisks `*` or question marks `?`, are often supported within filespecs to match multiple files that fit a certain pattern. This enables operations like deleting all files with a specific extension or listing all files that start with a particular set of characters.