Specifying a file

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When you use a 1-2-3 command that requires you to specify a file, you must specify the file's path and name. You can do this several ways:

If you don't specify a path for a file, 1-2-3 looks for the file in the current directory.

The file path

The file path consists of the drive and directory where the file is located. The file name is the unique name and extension assigned to the file. For example, in the following file specification:

C:\REPORTS\JANUARY SUMMARY.123

C:\REPORTS is the path. It identifies C: as the drive and REPORTS as the directory where the file named JANUARY SUMMARY.123 is located. The .123 file extension identifies the file type.

If the file you're specifying is in a directory that's under another directory, the path includes both directory names. For example, in the following file specification:

C:\REPORTS\MONTHLY SALES\JANUARY SUMMARY.123

MONTHLY SALES is a directory under the REPORTS directory.

A backslash (\) must separate the drive, directory, and file name.

Using wildcard characters to list files

You can see a list of files with similar names or extensions by including the wildcard characters * (asterisk) and ? (question mark) in the file name that you enter in the "File name" box.

Asterisk (*)

The * wildcard character represents any number of consecutive characters in a file name or extension.

For example, to list all files with the characters MARCH9 (such as MARCH9.123, MARCH9.WK4, and MARCH96. WK3), you enter march9*.* in the "File name" box and press ENTER.

To list all files that begin with B and have the extension .CGM, you enter B*.cgm and press ENTER.

To list all files in a folder, you enter *.* and press ENTER.

Question mark (?)

The ? wildcard character represents any single character in a file name or extension.

For example, to list all .123 files that begin with SALES followed by two characters, you enter SALES??.123 in the "File name" box and press ENTER.