C# tip: Use Path Combine for file or directory path information

.NET provides in its System.IO namespace the Path class which performs operations on String instances that contain file or directory path information. These operations are performed in a cross-platform manner.

Most of the time we see develeopers writing code like

string path = somePath + "\\" + filename;

But by using Path.Combine we can provide a cross platform path

string somePath = @"C:\temp";
string filename = "dat.txt";
string path = Path.Combine(somePath,filename);

//produce an output of C:\temp\dat.txt
//linux: C:/temp/dat.txt

string[] paths = {@"c:\My Music", "2013", "media", "banner"};
string fullPath = Path.Combine(paths);
//output c:\My Music\2013\media\banner

string path1 = @"C:\Temp";
string path2 = "My Music";
fullPath = Path.Combine(path1, path2);

//output: C:\Temp\My Music

fullPath = Path.Combine(string.Empty, path2);
//output: My Music
	
fullPath = Path.Combine(path1, string.Empty);
//output: C:\Temp

By using the Path and Combine method, one can at least eliminate some of the headache of porting to another platform.