Java - File getParentFile() Method

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Description

The Java File getParentFile() method returns the abstract pathname of this abstract pathname's parent, or null if this pathname does not name a parent directory.

Declaration

Following is the declaration for java.io.File.getParentFile() method −

public File getParentFile()

Parameters

NA

Return Value

This method returns abstract pathname of the parent directory named by this abstract pathname, or null if the pathname does not name a parent.

Exception

NA

Example 1

The following example shows the usage of Java File getParentFile() method. We've created two File references. Then we're creating a File Object using test.txt which is not present in the current directory. Then we've created the file using createNewFile() method. Now using getAbsoluteFile() method, we're getting the file and getting the name of the parent of the file using getParentFile() method and printing it.

package com.tutorialspoint;
import java.io.File;
public class FileDemo {
   public static void main(String[] args) {      
      File f = null;
      File f1 = null;
      String path = "";
      boolean bool = false;
      
      try {
         // create new files
         f = new File("test.txt");
         
         // create new file in the system
         f.createNewFile();
         
         // create new file object from the absolute path
         f1 = f.getAbsoluteFile();
         
         // returns true if the file exists
         bool = f1.exists();
         
         // returns name of parent of the file
         path = f1.getParentFile().getName();
         
         // if file exists
         if(bool) {
         
            // prints the file
            System.out.print("Parent: " + path);
         }
         
      } catch(Exception e) {
         // if any error occurs
         e.printStackTrace();
      }
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

Parent: Tester

Example 2

The following example shows the usage of Java File getParentFile() method. We've created a File reference. Then we're creating a File Object using F:/test.txt which is present in the provided directory. Now using getAbsoluteFile() method, we're getting the file and printing its parent name after getting the name of it using getParentFile() method.

package com.tutorialspoint;
import java.io.File;
public class FileDemo {
   public static void main(String[] args) {      
      File f = null;
      
      try {
         // create new files
         f = new File("F:/test.txt");         
    
         // get the file
         File f1 = f.getAbsoluteFile();
         
         // prints the parent of file
         System.out.println("Parent: "+f1.getParentFile().getAbsolutePath());
         
      } catch(Exception e) {
         // if any error occurs
         e.printStackTrace();
      }
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

Parent: F:\

Example 3

The following example shows the usage of Java File getParent() method. We've created a File reference. Then we're creating a File Object using F:/test directory which is present in the provided location. Now using getAbsoluteFile() method, we're getting the directory and its parent name using getParent() method.

package com.tutorialspoint;
import java.io.File;
public class FileDemo {
   public static void main(String[] args) {      
      File f = null;      
      try {
         
         // create new files
         f = new File("F:/test");         
    
         // get the file
         File f1 = f.getAbsoluteFile();
         
         // prints the file parent name
         System.out.println("Parent Directory: "+f1.getParentFile().getAbsolutePath());
         
      } catch(Exception e) {
         // if any error occurs
         e.printStackTrace();
      }
   }
}

Output

Let us compile and run the above program, this will produce the following result −

Parent Directory: F:\