creating a path from the container root

 I am trying to create a directory below the webapps\mywebapp directory.


I'am able to create directories with the
java.io.File(new_directory)).mkdirs();  . (or mkdir())

However, I want to create it under the webapps\mywebapp directory,
To do this I need to get a path to the webapps\mywebapp directory so
I used request.getContextPath()  which returns the correct path except
that
The directory mywebapp comes back with a forward slash (e.g. /mywebapp)
When it should be a back slash (e.g. \mywebapp)

I've tried using the java.io.File.separator to make it UNIX/windows
independent but
That doesn't work either!

HELP!

TK