Question

Is it possible to move to a directory one level down in Java?

For example in command prompt:

C:\Users\foo\

I can use cd.. to go to:

C:\Users\

Is it possible to do this in Java, because I’m getting a directory using System.getProperty(“user.dir”); however that is not the directory I’d want to work at, but rather 1 level down the directory.

I have thought of using the Path class method; subpath(i,j), but if the “user.dir” were to be changed to another directory, then the returned subpath would be different.

Answer 1

The File class can do this natively.

File upOne = new File(System.getProperty("user.dir")).getParentFile()

http://docs.oracle.com/javase/6/docs/api/java/io/File.html#getParentFile%28%29