Constructing a File Object
does not Create a File!

When a File object is constructed,
no check is made to see if the pathName
corresponds to an existing file or directory.
If a file or directory of pathName does
not exist, constructing a File object
will not create it.

Here is an example program that constructs a File object
and uses one of its methods.
The constructor argument is a simple file name
(which counts as a relative path name).

import java.io.*;
class testExist
{
  public static void main ( String[] args ) 
  {
    String pathName = "notLikely.txt" ;
    File   test = new File( pathName );
    if ( test.exists() )
      System.out.println( "The file " + pathName + " exists." );
    else
      System.out.println( "The file " + pathName + " Does Not exist." );
  }
}

Since pathName is a simple file name
the File object will use the current
directory.
If you start the program from a DOS prompt,
the current directory is the directory the DOS prompt
is “in”.
This is the directory that is listed with a DIR command.