Filepaths (was Re: Mif2Go graphics question)

[Jeremy H. Griffith]

On Fri, 11 Sep 2009 06:05:05 -0700 (PDT), Les Smalley 
<l_c_smalley at yahoo.com> wrote:

>Never, really?  Only letters and digits?  

Yes.  There are a few more that you can use under most (but not all(
circumstances, and several that only bollix one or two commands, but
nobody can remember which ones thay are.  ;-)  So the only *safe*
rule is to use none at all.  That, people *can* remember.  ;-)

>Since I started in the Unix world (oh so long ago), I personally 
>hate the use of spaces in file names and directory paths, 

Yes.  Those are not fully supported in Frame either, despite claims
to the contrary, probably because of Frame's UNIX roots.

>but have always used an underscore in its place if really necessary 
>to help clarify the name.  

Some UNIX systems will object, and if they turn up in a CHM's TOC
you will have problems, but otherwise they are reasonably safe.

Personally, I prefer CamelCase; it's harmless in Windows (where
file and path names are case-insensitive), and OK in UNIX (which
*is* case-sensitive, as in Web names) if you use it consistently.

>Extra periods also can be used, it just looks awkward to my eyes.

It can also throw some applications that check extensions off,
but, again, it's *mostly* safe.  ;-)

>The plus  symbol is  very dangerous as you point out, and although 
>legal I don't like using a minus (hyphen) either (as it looks too 
>much like the unix command/param switch to me).  

It *is* the switchchar, and is even accepted as that in Windows.

>Quotes and apostrophes are a disaster IMO as well.

Yes, and commas, and much more.  Which is why I say, "Avoid them all!"

-- Jeremy H. Griffith, at Omni Systems Inc.
  <jeremy at omsys.com>  http://www.omsys.com/