= Finding a Directory's Path =
When referencing paths, it is best to use Haiku's Find Directory functionality. The system defines numerous key directories in the [http://dev.haiku-os.org/browser/haiku/trunk/headers/os/storage/FindDirectory.h os/storage/FindDirectory.h] header. In addition to C/C++, a command line utility `finddir` can be used with the same variable names.

== Terminal ==
{{{
export USER_SETTINGS_DIRECTORY=`/bin/finddir B_USER_SETTINGS_DIRECTORY`
}}}
To test this, try {{{ finddir B_USER_SETTINGS_DIRECTORY }}}

== Shell Script ==
{{{
APPS_DIR=`finddir B_APPS_DIRECTORY`
echo ${APPS_DIR}
}}}

== Makefile ==
# Assuming the makefile sets 
{{{
APPS_DIR:=$(shell finddir B_APPS_DIRECTORY)
}}}

== C ==
{{{
#!rst
diff -urN tuxpaint-0.9.21/src/fonts.c tuxpaint-0.9.21-haiku/src/fonts.c
--- tuxpaint-0.9.21/src/fonts.c	2009-06-06 18:22:00.000000000 +0000
+++ tuxpaint-0.9.21-haiku/src/fonts.c	2009-10-07 07:39:18.000000000 +0000
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@
 #include "win32_print.h"
 #endif
 
+#ifdef __HAIKU__
+#include <FindDirectory.h>
+#include <fs_info.h>
+#endif
+
 #ifdef __APPLE__
 #include "wrapperdata.h"
 extern WrapperData macosx;
@@ -699,6 +704,14 @@
     loadfonts(screen, "/boot/home/config/font/ttffonts");
     loadfonts(screen, "/usr/share/fonts");
     loadfonts(screen, "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts");
+#elif defined(__HAIKU__)
+	dev_t volume = dev_for_path("/boot");
+	char buffer[B_PATH_NAME_LENGTH+B_FILE_NAME_LENGTH];
+	status_t result;
+    result = find_directory(B_SYSTEM_FONTS_DIRECTORY, volume, false, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
+	loadfonts(screen, buffer);
+    result = find_directory(B_COMMON_FONTS_DIRECTORY, volume, false, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
+	loadfonts(screen, buffer);
 #elif defined(__APPLE__)
     loadfonts(screen, "/System/Library/Fonts");
     loadfonts(screen, "/Library/Fonts");
}}}

== C++ ==
{{{
#!cpp
// Note: This is untested!

#ifdef __HAIKU__
#include <FindDirectory.h>
#include <fs_info.h>
#endif
	
// ...

BPath dir;
result = find_directory(B_SYSTEM_FONTS_DIRECTORY, &dir);
loadfonts(screen, dir.Path());
result = find_directory(B_COMMON_FONTS_DIRECTORY, &dir);
loadfonts(screen, dir.Path());
}}}

== Python == 
{{{
#!python
#!/bin/env python

import commands

# Creating a utility function
def FindDirectory(aDir):
	result = commands.getoutput('finddir %s' % aDir)
	return result
	

if __name__ == "__main__":
	# Using the utility function ...
	B_APPS_DIRECTORY = FindDirectory('B_APPS_DIRECTORY')
	print 'Using utility function:'
	print B_APPS_DIRECTORY

	# Set a baloney value, to display functionality
	B_APPS_DIRECTORY='Some Text to display the value being set properly'
	print 'After setting a baloney value:'
	print B_APPS_DIRECTORY
 
	# As a one liner ...
	B_APPS_DIRECTORY = commands.getoutput('finddir B_APPS_DIRECTORY')
	print 'Using a one liner:'
	print B_APPS_DIRECTORY
}}}