File getParentFile() method in Java with Examples

The getParentFile() method is a part of File class. This function returns the Parent file of the given file object. The function returns a File object which contains the Parent file of the given file object. If the abstract path does not contain any Parent file then a null value is returned.

Function Signature:

public File getParentFile()

Function Syntax:

file.getParentFile()

Parameters: This function does not accept any parameters.

Return value: The function returns File object which is the Parent file of the given File object.

Below programs will illustrate the use of the getParentFile() function:

Example 1: We are given a file object of a file, we have to get the Parent file of the file object.

// Java program to demonstrate the
// use of getParentFile() function

import java.io.*;

public class solution {
    public static void main(String args[])
    {

        // try-catch block to handle exceptions
        try {

            // Create a file object
            File f = new File("c:\\users\\program.txt");

            // Get the Parent of the given file f
            File Parent = f.getParentFile();

            // Display the file Parent file
            // of the file object
            System.out.println("File Parent : "
                               + Parent.getPath());
        }
        catch (Exception e) {
            System.err.println(e.getMessage());
        }
    }
}

Output:

File Parent : c:\users

Example 2: We are given a file object of a directory, we have to get the Parent file of the file object.

// Java program to demonstrate the
// use of getParentFile() function

import java.io.*;

public class solution {
    public static void main(String args[])
    {

        // try-catch block to handle exceptions
        try {

            // Create a file object
            File f = new File("c:\\users\\program");

            // Get the Parent of the given file f
            File Parent = f.getParentFile();

            // Display the file Parent
            // file of the file object
            System.out.println("File Parent : "
                               + Parent.getPath());
        }
        catch (Exception e) {
            System.err.println(e.getMessage());
        }
    }
}

output:

File Parent : c:\users

The programs might not run in an online IDE. please use an offline IDE and set the Parent file of the file