2 files changed, 25 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc b/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc
index 2412b76761..6aaaec1d81 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc
+++ b/libs/pbd/filesystem.cc
@@ -58,6 +58,24 @@ path::operator/=(const char* rhs)
 	return *this;
 }
 
+path
+path::branch_path () const
+{
+	string dir = Glib::path_get_dirname (m_path);
+
+	/*
+	 * glib returns "." to signify that the path
+	 * has no directory components(branch path)
+	 * whereas boost::filesystem returns an empty
+	 * string
+	 */
+	if(dir == ".")
+	{
+		return "";
+	}
+	return dir;
+}
+
 bool
 exists (const path & p)
 {
diff --git a/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h b/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h
index 8de57e4ea7..a5b0ed5b28 100644
--- a/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h
+++ b/libs/pbd/pbd/filesystem.h
@@ -86,6 +86,13 @@ public:
 
 	const string to_string() const { return m_path; }
 
+	/**
+	 * @returns the directory component of a path without any trailing
+	 * path separator or an empty string if the path has no directory
+	 * component(branch path).
+	 */
+	path branch_path () const;
+
 private:
 
 	string m_path;