---
name: "File::Spec::Win32"
section: "3p"
platform: "openbsd"
package: "man"
version: "8.0-current-20261101"
release: "OpenBSD 8.0-current (2026-11-01)"
platforms: ["openbsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/File::Spec::Win32"
---

# File::Spec::Win32(3p)

methods for Win32 file specs

## NAME

File::Spec::Win32 - methods for Win32 file specs

## SYNOPSIS

```
 require File::Spec::Win32; # Done internally by File::Spec if needed
```

## DESCRIPTION

See File::Spec::Unix for a documentation of the methods provided there. This package overrides the implementation of these methods, not the semantics.

- devnull

  Returns a string representation of the null device.

- tmpdir

  Returns a string representation of the first existing directory from the following list:

  ```
      $ENV{TMPDIR}
      $ENV{TEMP}
      $ENV{TMP}
      SYS:/temp
      C:\system\temp
      C:/temp
      /tmp
      /
  ```

  The SYS:/temp is preferred in Novell NetWare and the C:\\system\\temp for Symbian (the File::Spec::Win32 is used also for those platforms).

  If running under taint mode, and if the environment variables are tainted, they are not used.

- case\_tolerant

  MSWin32 case-tolerance depends on **GetVolumeInformation()** `$ouFsFlags` == FS\_CASE\_SENSITIVE, indicating the case significance when comparing file specifications. Since XP FS\_CASE\_SENSITIVE is effectively disabled for the NT subsubsystem. See \<http://cygwin.com/ml/cygwin/2007-07/msg00891.html\> Default: 1

- file\_name\_is\_absolute

  As of right now, this returns 2 if the path is absolute with a volume, 1 if it's absolute with no volume, 0 otherwise.

- catfile

  Concatenate one or more directory names and a filename to form a complete path ending with a filename

- canonpath

  No physical check on the filesystem, but a logical cleanup of a path. On UNIX eliminated successive slashes and successive "/.". On Win32 makes

  ```
          dir1\dir2\dir3\..\..\dir4 -> \dir\dir4 and even
          dir1\dir2\dir3\...\dir4   -> \dir\dir4
  ```

- splitpath

  ```
     ($volume,$directories,$file) = File::Spec->splitpath( $path );
     ($volume,$directories,$file) = File::Spec->splitpath( $path,
                                                           $no_file );
  ```

  Splits a path into volume, directory, and filename portions. Assumes that  the last file is a path unless the path ends in '\\\\', '\\\\.', '\\\\..' or `$no_file` is true.  On Win32 this means that `$no_file` true makes this return  ( `$volume`, `$path`, '' ).

  Separators accepted are \\ and /.

  Volumes can be drive letters or UNC sharenames (\\\\server\\share).

  The results can be passed to "catpath" to get back a path equivalent to (usually identical to) the original path.

- splitdir

  The opposite of **catdir()**.

  ```
      @dirs = File::Spec->splitdir( $directories );
  ```

  `$directories` must be only the directory portion of the path on systems  that have the concept of a volume or that have path syntax that differentiates files from directories.

  Unlike just splitting the directories on the separator, leading empty and  trailing directory entries can be returned, because these are significant on some OSs. So,

  ```
      File::Spec->splitdir( "/a/b//c/" );
  ```

  Yields:

  ```
      ( '', 'a', 'b', '', 'c', '' )
  ```

- catpath

  Takes volume, directory and file portions and returns an entire path. Under Unix, `$volume` is ignored, and this is just like **catfile()**. On other OSs, the `$volume` become significant.

### Note For File::Spec::Win32 Maintainers

Novell NetWare inherits its File::Spec behaviour from File::Spec::Win32.

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright (c) 2004,2007 by the Perl 5 Porters.  All rights reserved.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

## SEE ALSO

See File::Spec and File::Spec::Unix.  This package overrides the implementation of these methods, not the semantics.