+
+/// Converts a host OS style path to a unicode safe unix style.
+/// On Windows, this is achieved by using the short form of the path,
+/// which can be safely passed to standard I/O functions expecting narrow
+/// char paths even when the path contains non-ascii chars.
+/// As the short form is only available for existing files, if the file is
+/// to be accessed for writing, \param how should be set to CREATE.
+/// \p p and the return value are encoded in utf8.
+std::string safe_internal_path(std::string const & p, file_access how = EXISTING);
+
+/// Converts a unix style path list to host OS style.
+/// \p p and the return value are encoded in utf8.
+std::string external_path_list(std::string const & p);
+
+/// Converts a host OS style path list to unix style.
+/// \p p and the return value are encoded in utf8.
+std::string internal_path_list(std::string const & p);
+
+/**
+ * Converts a unix style path into a form suitable for inclusion in a LaTeX
+ * document.
+ * \p p is encoded in utf8.
+ * Caution: This function handles only the OS specific part of that task.
+ * Never use it directly, use lyx::support::latex_path instead.
+ */
+std::string latex_path(std::string const & p);
+
+/**
+ * Converts a platform style path list into a form suitable for the TeX engine.
+ * \p p is encoded in utf8.
+ */
+std::string latex_path_list(std::string const & p);
+
+/** Returns a string suitable to be passed to popen when
+ * reading a file.
+ */
+char const * popen_read_mode();
+
+enum path_type {
+ PLATFORM,
+ TEXENGINE
+};
+
+/** The character used to separate paths for platform environment variables
+ * (such as PATH) or for the TeX engine.
+ */
+char path_separator(path_type type = PLATFORM);
+
+/** If @c use_windows_paths is true, LyX will output Windows-style paths to
+ * latex files rather than posix ones. Obviously, this option is used only
+ * under Windows.
+ */
+void windows_style_tex_paths(bool use_windows_paths);
+
+enum auto_open_mode {
+ VIEW,
+ EDIT
+};
+
+/** Check whether or not a file can be opened by a default viewer or editor.
+ * \param extension (without leading .)
+ * \param mode can be opened in VIEW or EDIT mode
+ * \returns whether or not the format can be opened according to \p mode
+ */
+bool canAutoOpenFile(std::string const & ext, auto_open_mode const mode);
+
+/** View or edit a file with the default viewer or editor.
+ * \param filename file to open (encoded in utf8)
+ * \param mode open in VIEW or EDIT mode
+ * \returns whether or not the file is viewed (or edited) successfully.
+ */
+bool autoOpenFile(std::string const & filename, auto_open_mode const mode,
+ std::string const & path = empty_string());
+
+/** Resolves a path such that it does not contain '.', '..', or symbolic links.
+ * \p path and the return value are encoded in utf8.
+ */
+std::string real_path(std::string const & path);
+
+/** Checks whether \param path starts with \param pre, accounting for case
+ * insensitive file systems.
+ */
+bool path_prefix_is(std::string const & path, std::string const & pre);
+
+/** Checks whether \param path starts with \param pre, accounting for case
+ * insensitive file systems. If true, the file system is case insensitive,
+ * and \param how == CASE_ADJUSTED, the case of the matching prefix in
+ * @c path is made equal to that of @c pre.
+ */
+bool path_prefix_is(std::string & path, std::string const & pre, path_case how = CASE_UNCHANGED);