---
title: "getRelationship(_:of:in:toItemAt:)"
framework: foundation
role: symbol
role_heading: Instance Method
path: "foundation/filemanager/getrelationship(_:of:in:toitemat:)"
---

# getRelationship(_:of:in:toItemAt:)

Determines the type of relationship that exists between a system directory and the specified item.

## Declaration

```swift
func getRelationship(_ outRelationship: UnsafeMutablePointer<FileManager.URLRelationship>, of directory: FileManager.SearchPathDirectory, in domainMask: FileManager.SearchPathDomainMask, toItemAt url: URL) throws
```

## Parameters

- `outRelationship`: A pointer to a variable in which to put the relationship between directoryURL and otherURL. For a list of possible values, see doc://com.apple.foundation/documentation/Foundation/FileManager/URLRelationship.
- `directory`: The search path directory. For a list of possible values, see doc://com.apple.foundation/documentation/Foundation/FileManager/SearchPathDirectory.
- `domainMask`: The file system domain to search. Specify 0 for this parameter if you want the file manager to choose the domain that is most appropriate for the specified url.
- `url`: The URL of the file or directory whose relationship to directoryURL is being tested. This parameter must not be nil.

## Discussion

Discussion Use this method to determine the relationship between an item and one of the system-specific directories. For example, you might use this method to determine if the specified item is in the user’s Documents directory or is in the trash. If the relationship between the items is determined successfully, this method sets the value of the outRelationship parameter to an appropriate value. The directory may contain the item, it may be the same as the item, or it may not have a direct relationship to the item. note: In Swift, this method returns Void and is marked with the throws keyword to indicate that it throws an error in cases of failure. You call this method in a try expression and handle any errors in the catch clauses of a do statement, as described in Error Handling in The Swift Programming Language and About Imported Cocoa Error Parameters.

## See Also

### Getting the relationship between items

- [getRelationship(_:ofDirectoryAt:toItemAt:)](foundation/filemanager/getrelationship(_:ofdirectoryat:toitemat:).md)
- [FileManager.URLRelationship](foundation/filemanager/urlrelationship.md)