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FileNameTake["name"]

gives the last path element in the file name "name".

FileNameTake["name",n]

gives the first n path elements in the file name "name".

FileNameTake["name",-n]

gives the last n path elements in the file name "name".

FileNameTake["name",{m,n}]

gives elements m through n in the file name "name".

Details and Options
Details and Options Details and Options
Examples  
Basic Examples  
Scope  
See Also
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FileNameTake

FileNameTake["name"]

gives the last path element in the file name "name".

FileNameTake["name",n]

gives the first n path elements in the file name "name".

FileNameTake["name",-n]

gives the last n path elements in the file name "name".

FileNameTake["name",{m,n}]

gives elements m through n in the file name "name".

Details and Options

  • FileNameTake by default assumes that path elements are separated by pathname separators suitable for your operating system.
  • FileNameTake[…,OperatingSystem->"os"] uses the conventions of the specified operating system. Possible choices are "Windows", "MacOSX", and "Unix".
  • FileNameTake just operates on names of files; it does not actually search for the file specified.
  • If more elements are requested than are present, FileNameTake just gives those that are present.
  • FileNameTake[File["name"],…] is also supported.

Examples

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Basic Examples  (4)

Extract the last path element from a file name:

Wolfram Language code: FileNameTake["/a/b/c.txt"]

Get different path elements in a file name:

Wolfram Language code: path = FileNameJoin[{"a", "b", "c", "d", "e"}]
Wolfram Language code: FileNameTake[path, 1]
Wolfram Language code: FileNameTake[path, -1]
Wolfram Language code: FileNameTake[path, {2, 3}]

Find out where the Wolfram System is installed:

Wolfram Language code: FileNameTake[$InstallationDirectory, {1, -1}]

On Windows, the share name is treated as a single unit:

Wolfram Language code: FileNameTake["\\\\server\\share\\path\\file", 1]

Scope  (1)

Extract a path element from the file name specified by the File object:

Wolfram Language code: file = File[FileNameJoin[{"a", "b", "c"}]]
Wolfram Language code: FileNameTake[file, -1]
Wolfram Research (2008), FileNameTake, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileNameTake.html (updated 2016).

Text

Wolfram Research (2008), FileNameTake, Wolfram Language function, https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileNameTake.html (updated 2016).

CMS

Wolfram Language. 2008. "FileNameTake." Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Wolfram Research. Last Modified 2016. https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileNameTake.html.

APA

Wolfram Language. (2008). FileNameTake. Wolfram Language & System Documentation Center. Retrieved from https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileNameTake.html

BibTeX

@misc{reference.wolfram_2026_filenametake, author="Wolfram Research", title="{FileNameTake}", year="2016", howpublished="\url{https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileNameTake.html}", note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}

BibLaTeX

@online{reference.wolfram_2026_filenametake, organization={Wolfram Research}, title={FileNameTake}, year={2016}, url={https://reference.wolfram.com/language/ref/FileNameTake.html}, note=[Accessed: 13-June-2026]}