CANONICAL Canonicalize path

c = canonical(p); If exists, canonical absolute path is returned. if path does not exist, normalized relative path is returned. UNC paths are not canonicalized.

This also resolves Windows short paths to long paths.

Inputs
Outputs

Inputs

p: path to make canonical
expand_tilde: expand ~ to username if present

Outputs

c: canonical path, if determined https://docs.oracle.com/en/java/javase/21/docs/api/java.base/java/io/File.html#getCanonicalPath()

function c = canonical(p, expand_tilde, use_java)
arguments
  p (1,1) string
  expand_tilde (1,1) logical = true
  use_java (1,1) logical = false
end

if expand_tilde
  c = stdlib.expanduser(p, use_java);
else
  c = p;
end

if ispc && startsWith(c, "\\")
  % UNC path is not canonicalized
  return
end

e = stdlib.exists(c);

if ~stdlib.is_absolute(c)
  if e
    if ~expand_tilde && ~use_java && startsWith(c, "~")
      c = stdlib.normalize(c, use_java);
      return
    else
      % workaround Java/Matlab limitations
      c = stdlib.posix(pwd()) + "/" + c;
    end
  else
    % for non-existing path, return normalized relative path
    % like C++ filesystem weakly_canonical()
    c = stdlib.normalize(c, use_java);
    return
  end
end

if use_java
  c = java.io.File(c).getCanonicalPath();
elseif e
  % errors if path does not exist. Errors on leading ~
  c = builtin('_canonicalizepath', c);
else
  c = stdlib.normalize(c, use_java);
end

c = stdlib.posix(c);

end % function

CANONICAL Canonicalize path

Contents

Inputs

Outputs