# Section 8.8:
File System Classes

This section of the library contains definitions of those abstractions and classes which encapsulate the conventional operating system notions of a file system. This includes directories, file paths, file labels, etc - for input from or output to files and standard channels refer to the IO section of this required library.

1. Immutable Classes

   1. USER - this class implements the concept of a user identity which is provided by the program execution environment.
   2. GROUP - this class implements the concept of a group or project identity which is provided by the program execution environment.
   3. PERMISSIONS - this enumeration class implements the individual forms of access to the contents of a file or directory.
   4. ACCESS_SET - this enumeration class implements the set of permissions which is attached to a file or directory.
   5. FILE_KINDS - this enumeration class implements the various kinds of filing system object which may exist (eg a plain file, a pipe, a directory).
   6. FILE_TYPES - this class implements the concept of a file having contents of the kind specified using this class.

2. Reference Classes

   1. FILE_LABEL - this class implements the label used by the underlying execution environment to record various attributes of a file.
   2. FILE_PATH - this class implements the file path used by a file system to find a file or directory object. It is a portable facility.
   3. DIRECTORY - this class implements the concept of a file system directory which may be created, read, destroyed, etc.
   4. SEARCH_PATH - this class implements a list of directories which may be searched in turn for some particular file, for example.

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Comments or enquiries should be made to Keith Hopper. Page last modified: Friday, 10 March 2000. |