..
represents the parent directory.
.
represents the current directory.
For example, ls ..
will list the contents of the current parent directory and ls .
will list all files in the current directory .
Take a look.
Question
For example in this path:
../..pictures/Sergey_Brin/Sergey
And this path:
./videos/./Larry_Page
I know that the dots are some kind of symbolic links. But what do they mean exactly and what's the difference between the two.
Solution
..
represents the parent directory.
.
represents the current directory.
For example, ls ..
will list the contents of the current parent directory and ls .
will list all files in the current directory .
Take a look.
OTHER TIPS
Relative paths make use of two special symbols, a dot (.) and a double-dot (..), which translate into the current directory and the parent directory. Double dots are used for moving up in the hierarchy. A single dot represents the current directory itself.
source: http://help.arcgis.com/en/arcgisdesktop/10.0/help/index.htm
The path ../.. simply means that you are referring to the directory two levels up from the current one. ".." is the directory right above the current directory and ../.. is the one two levels above. "." means current directory