Index: java/io/File.java
===================================================================
RCS file: /cvsroot/classpath/classpath/java/io/File.java,v
retrieving revision 1.45
diff -u -r1.45 File.java
--- java/io/File.java	5 May 2004 11:13:40 -0000	1.45
+++ java/io/File.java	7 May 2004 08:01:39 -0000
@@ -295,18 +295,20 @@
    */
   public File(File directory, String name)
   {
-    if (directory == null)
-      {
-        String dirname = System.getProperty("user.dir");
-        if (dirname == null)
-          throw new IllegalArgumentException
-  		("Cannot determine default user directory");
+    if (name == null)
+      throw new NullPointerException("filename is null");
 
-        directory = new File(dirname);
-      }
+    String dirpath;
+    
+    if (directory == null)
+      dirpath = "";
+    else if (directory.getPath() == "")
+      dirpath = "/";
+    else
+      dirpath = directory.getPath();
 
-    String dirpath = directory.path;
-    if (PlatformHelper.isRootDirectory(dirpath))
+    if (PlatformHelper.isRootDirectory(dirpath)
+	|| dirpath.equals(""))
       path = dirpath + name;
     else
       path = dirpath + separator + name;