**Course Title:** Ruby Programming: From Basics to Advanced Techniques **Section Title:** File Handling and Exception Management **Topic:** Working with file paths and directories **Introduction:** In this topic, we will explore the world of file paths and directories in Ruby. Understanding how to work with files is essential for any Ruby programmer, as it allows you to read and write data to files, manage files, and more. In this topic, we will cover the basics of file paths, how to create and manipulate directories, and how to use Ruby's built-in file handling methods. **What are File Paths?** A file path is a sequence of directories and filenames that identify the location of a file on a computer. In Ruby, file paths are represented as strings, and they can be used to read and write files. **Creating File Paths:** To create a file path in Ruby, you can use the `File.join()` method, which takes multiple arguments and returns a single string representing the file path. For example: ```ruby file_path = File.join('path', 'to', 'file.txt') ``` This would create a file path like `/path/to/file.txt`. **Directory Manipulation:** Ruby provides several methods for manipulating directories, including: * `Dir.mkdir()`: Creates a new directory. * `Dir.rmdir()`: Deletes an empty directory. * `Dir.mkdir('path')`: Creates a new directory at the specified path. * `Dir.rmdir('path')`: Deletes an empty directory at the specified path. **Example:** ```ruby # Create a new directory Dir.mkdir('new_directory') # Delete an empty directory Dir.rmdir('empty_directory') ``` **Working with File Paths:** Ruby provides several methods for working with file paths, including: * `File.exists?()`: Checks if a file exists at the specified path. * `File.read()`: Reads the contents of a file at the specified path. * `File.write()`: Writes data to a file at the specified path. * `File.delete()`: Deletes a file at the specified path. **Example:** ```ruby # Check if a file exists if File.exists?('file.txt') puts 'File exists!' else puts 'File does not exist!' end # Read the contents of a file file_contents = File.read('file.txt') puts file_contents # Write data to a file File.write('file.txt', 'Hello, World!') # Delete a file File.delete('file.txt') ``` **Key Concepts:** * File paths are represented as strings in Ruby. * The `File.join()` method is used to create file paths. * Ruby provides several methods for manipulating directories, including `Dir.mkdir()` and `Dir.rmdir()`. * Ruby provides several methods for working with file paths, including `File.exists?()`, `File.read()`, and `File.write()`. **Practical Takeaways:** * Always use the `File.join()` method to create file paths. * Use the `Dir.mkdir()` and `Dir.rmdir()` methods to manipulate directories. * Use the `File.exists?()`, `File.read()`, and `File.write()` methods to work with file paths. **Exercise:** Create a new directory called `my_directory` and write a file called `hello.txt` to it. Then, read the contents of the file and delete it. **Leave a comment or ask for help if you have any questions or need further clarification on any of the concepts covered in this topic!** **Next Topic:** Handling exceptions: begin, rescue, ensure, and raise. **External Resources:** * Ruby documentation: [File Handling](https://ruby-doc.org/core-3.1.0/doc/syntax/methods_rdoc.html#label-File+Handling) * Ruby documentation: [Directory Methods](https://ruby-doc.org/core-3.1.0/doc/syntax/methods_rdoc.html#label-Directory+Methods)