diff --git a/src/file.rs b/src/file.rs
index c740627..bee7520 100644
--- a/src/file.rs
+++ b/src/file.rs
@@ -45,12 +45,8 @@ impl std::ops::DerefMut for File {
 
 impl File {
     /// Open a netCDF file in read only mode.
-    pub fn open<P>(file: P) -> error::Result<File>
-    where
-        P: AsRef<path::Path>,
-    {
-        let data_path = file.as_ref();
-        let f = CString::new(data_path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    pub fn open(path: &path::Path) -> error::Result<File> {
+        let f = CString::new(path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
         let mut ncid: nc_type = -1;
         let err: nc_type;
         unsafe {
@@ -65,18 +61,14 @@ impl File {
 
         Ok(File {
             ncid,
-            name: data_path.file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+            name: path.file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string(),
             root,
         })
     }
     /// Open a netCDF file in append mode (read/write).
     /// The file must already exist.
-    pub fn append<P>(file: P) -> error::Result<File>
-    where
-        P: AsRef<path::Path>,
-    {
-        let data_path = file.as_ref();
-        let f = CString::new(data_path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    pub fn append(path: &path::Path) -> error::Result<File> {
+        let f = CString::new(path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
         let mut ncid: nc_type = -1;
         let err: nc_type;
         unsafe {
@@ -91,17 +83,13 @@ impl File {
 
         Ok(File {
             ncid,
-            name: data_path.file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+            name: path.file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string(),
             root,
         })
     }
     /// Open a netCDF file in creation mode (write only).
-    pub fn create<P>(file: P) -> error::Result<File>
-    where
-        P: AsRef<path::Path>,
-    {
-        let data_path = file.as_ref();
-        let f = CString::new(data_path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
+    pub fn create(path: &path::Path) -> error::Result<File> {
+        let f = CString::new(path.to_str().unwrap()).unwrap();
         let mut ncid: nc_type = -1;
         let err: nc_type;
         unsafe {
@@ -123,7 +111,7 @@ impl File {
         };
         Ok(File {
             ncid,
-            name: data_path.file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string(),
+            name: path.file_name().unwrap().to_string_lossy().to_string(),
             root,
         })
     }
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index f9710f9..5967007 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ pub fn create<P>(name: P) -> error::Result<File>
 where
     P: AsRef<std::path::Path>,
 {
-    File::create(name)
+    File::create(name.as_ref())
 }
 
 /// Open a netcdf file in append mode
@@ -91,7 +91,7 @@ pub fn append<P>(name: P) -> error::Result<File>
 where
     P: AsRef<std::path::Path>,
 {
-    File::append(name)
+    File::append(name.as_ref())
 }
 
 /// Open a netcdf file in read mode
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ pub fn open<P>(name: P) -> error::Result<File>
 where
     P: AsRef<std::path::Path>,
 {
-    File::open(name)
+    File::open(name.as_ref())
 }
 
 #[cfg(feature = "memory")]
diff --git a/tests/lib.rs b/tests/lib.rs
index 73dbdac..e285648 100644
--- a/tests/lib.rs
+++ b/tests/lib.rs
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ fn test_location() -> std::path::PathBuf {
 fn use_path_to_open() {
     let path = test_location().join("simple_xy.nc");
 
-    let _file = netcdf::File::open(path).unwrap();
+    let _file = netcdf::open(path).unwrap();
 }
 
 #[test]
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ fn use_string_to_open() {
 #[test]
 fn bad_filename() {
     let f = test_location().join("blah_stuff.nc");
-    let res_file = netcdf::File::open(&f);
+    let res_file = netcdf::open(&f);
     assert_eq!(res_file.unwrap_err(), netcdf::error::Error::Netcdf(2));
 }
 
@@ -195,7 +195,7 @@ fn nc4_groups() {
 fn create_group_dimensions() {
     let d = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
     let filepath = d.path().join("create_group.nc");
-    let mut f = netcdf::File::create(filepath).unwrap();
+    let mut f = netcdf::create(filepath).unwrap();
 
     f.add_dimension("x", 20).unwrap();
 
@@ -417,7 +417,7 @@ fn all_var_types() {
     {
         // read
         let f = d.path().join(name);
-        let file = netcdf::File::open(f).unwrap();
+        let file = netcdf::open(f).unwrap();
 
         //byte
         let mut data = vec![0i8; 10];