Which is the right spelling? Why?
It's a sentence that mentions a file and its name.

For me, it comes down to two options:
1) a name of a file (the file is unknown as its name, thus "a" name)
2) a name of a file (the file has only one name thus it's "the" name)

What is the correct usage? Why?

Question

Which is the right spelling? Why?
It's a sentence that mentions a file and its name.

For me, it comes down to two options:
1) a name of a file (the file is unknown as its name, thus "a" name)
2) a name of a file (the file has only one name thus it's "the" name)

What is the correct usage? Why?

Answer

I think the correct question here is 'what is the correct usage (not the correct spelling)?'  
These sentences quoted above have to do with indefinite articles (a) and definite articles (the).  If you know the file's name, you use the definite article (the name), but if you don't know the name of the file, you use 'a name' and 'a file'.  
Here are some examples of definite and indefinite articles:  
The dog that lives next door was being followed by a dog I had never seen before.
The girl I was dating is now seeing a boy from the next town.

Answers · 1

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