/**
* Removes any <code>"."</code> and <code>".."</code> directories from the
* path wherever possible.
*
* @param file The file instance which's path is to be normalized.
* @return <code>file</code> if it was already in normalized form. Otherwise, an object which's
* runtime class is guaranteed to be <code>java.io.File</code>.
*/
public static java.io.File normalize(final java.io.File file) {
final String path = file.getPath();
final String newPath = Paths.normalize(path, File.separatorChar);
return newPath != path // mind contract of Paths.normalize!
? new java.io.File(newPath)
: file;
}
