The file system is a recursive data structure. Its top-level entry is a
directory (the root directory) containing plain directory entries (files,
(soft) links, named sockets, etc.) and possibly also (sub)directory
entries referring to nested directories which in turn may contiain plain-
and (sub)directory entries.

In the tt(std::filesystem) namespace the elements of directories are objects
of the class ti(directory_entry), containing names and statuses of the entries
of that directory. 

bf(Constructors):

The class tt(directory_entry) supports all standard constructors (and
assignment operators) and also a constructor expecting a tt(path):
        verb(    directory_entry(path const &entry);)

Objects of the class tt(directory_entry) can be constructed by name, and do
not have to refer to existing entries in the file system. 

bf(Operators):
    itemization(
    itt(ostream &operator<<(ostream &, directory_entry const &)) inserts the
        object's tt(path) into the tt(ostream);

    it() the comparsion operators (tt(==, <=>)) compare their tt(std::path)
        data members;

    itht(path)(path const &path() const), hi(operator path const &())
        tt(operator path const &() const)
       returns the current object's path name.
    )

bf(Members):
        
    itemization(
    ithtq(assign)(void assign(path const &dest))
       (the current path is replaced by tt(dest) (identical to
        tt(directory_entry's) assignment operator);)

    ithtq(replace_filename)(void replace_filename(path const &dest))
       (the last element of the current object's path is replaced by
        tt(dest). If that element is empty (e.g., when the object's path ends
        in a directory separator) then tt(dest) is appended to the current
        object's path;)

    ithtq(status)(filesystem::file_status status([error_code &ec]))
       (returns type and attributes of the directory entry referred to by the
        current object. If the current object refers to a symlink then the
        status of the entry the symlink refers to is returned. To obtain the
        status of the entry itself, even if it's a symlink use
        ti(symlink_status) (see also section ref(FSSTATUS) and ref(FSESTAT)
        below).)
    )

