/**
  * We search through all the configured dirs for the file's existence and return true when we find
  *
  * @param pathStr the requested file (this will be searched)
  * @param conf the Configuration object
  * @return true if files exist. false otherwise
  * @throws IOException
  */
 public boolean ifExists(String pathStr, Configuration conf) {
   AllocatorPerContext context = obtainContext(contextCfgItemName);
   return context.ifExists(pathStr, conf);
 }