Characters used in file names

Character

Usage

/

Separates the components of a file's pathname.

~

(Tilde) symbolizes your home directory when used by itself. When used together with a user ID, ~ symbolizes that user's home directory. For example:

 ~susanb/.profile

refers to user SUSANB's .profile file.

You can also use the ~ to refer to your previous working directory; for example, the command

cd ~-

returns you to the directory you were previously working in.

.

When used as a component of a pathname, indicates the working directory.

..

When used as a component of a pathname, indicates the parent directory.

?

Used as a wildcard character that can match any one character, except a leading dot (.).

*

Used as a wildcard character that can match a sequence of zero or more characters, except a leading dot (.).