java nio path can't handle windows network path

Question

Why does this happen?

def path=java.nio.file.Paths.get("c:/kittuhomestore/Csmart/files/companies");
path.getNameCount();
4

def path=java.nio.file.Paths.get("//kittuhomestore/Csmart/files/companies");
path.getNameCount();
2

The latter is a windows shared network drive.

Answer 1

Path path = java.nio.file.Paths.get("c:/kittuhomestore/Csmart/files/companies");
System.err.println(path.getRoot());

Output:

c:\

In the first case, the Root of the path is C:\, so the remaining parts are kittuhomestore, Csmart, files and companies, hence 4 components.

---

Path path = java.nio.file.Paths.get("//kittuhomestore/Csmart/files/companies");
System.err.println(path.getRoot());

Output:

\\kittuhomestore\Csmart\

In the second case, the Root of the path is \\kittuhomestore\Csmart\, so the remaining parts are files and companies, hence 2 components.

This is because an UNC path has the format

\\server\share\file_path

where \\server\share is the root of the path.