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<h3 class="section">11.2 File Names</h3>

<p>In order to open a connection to a file, or to perform other operations
such as deleting a file, you need some way to refer to the file.  Nearly
all files have names that are strings&mdash;even files which are actually
devices such as tape drives or terminals.  These strings are called
<dfn>file names</dfn>.  You specify the file name to say which file you want
to open or operate on.

   <p>This section describes the conventions for file names and how the
operating system works with them. 
<a name="index-file-name-903"></a>

<ul class="menu">
<li><a accesskey="1" href="Directories.html#Directories">Directories</a>:                  Directories contain entries for files. 
<li><a accesskey="2" href="File-Name-Resolution.html#File-Name-Resolution">File Name Resolution</a>:         A file name specifies how to look up a file. 
<li><a accesskey="3" href="File-Name-Errors.html#File-Name-Errors">File Name Errors</a>:             Error conditions relating to file names. 
<li><a accesskey="4" href="File-Name-Portability.html#File-Name-Portability">File Name Portability</a>:        File name portability and syntax issues. 
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