// Get the parent of a relative filename path File file = new File("Ex1.java"); String parentPath = file.getParent(); // null File parentDir = file.getParentFile(); // null // Get the parents of an absolute filename path file = new File("D:\almanac\Ex1.java"); parentPath = file.getParent(); // D:almanac parentDir = file.getParentFile(); // D:almanac parentPath = parentDir.getParent(); // D: parentDir = parentDir.getParentFile(); // D: parentPath = parentDir.getParent(); // null parentDir = parentDir.getParentFile(); // null