Path
Sets the command path in the PATH environment variable, which is the set of directories used to search for executable files. Used without parameters, path displays the current command path.
Syntax
path [[%path%] [Drive**:]Path [;**...]]
Parameters
[ Drive : ] Path : Specifies the drive and directory to set in the command path.
; : Separates directories in the command path.
%path% : Specifies Windows XP to append the command path to the existing set of directories listed in the PATH environment variable.
/? : Displays help at the command prompt.
Remarks
Using ;
When used as the only parameter, ; deletes the existing command path value found in the PATH variable.
Using %path%
When you include %path% in the syntax, Cmd.exe replaces it with the command path value found in the PATH variable, eliminating the need to manually enter these values at the command line. For more information about substituting environment variable values, see Command shell overview in Related Topics.
Current directory
The operating system always searches in the current directory first, before it searches the directories in the command path.
Files with the same name, different extensions
You might have some files in the same directory that share the same file name but have different extensions. For example, you might have a file named Accnt.com that starts an accounting program and another file named Accnt.bat that connects your system to the accounting system network.
The operating system searches for a file by using default file name extensions in the following order of precedence: .exe, .com, .bat, and .cmd. To run Accnt.bat when Accnt.com exists in the same directory, you must include the .bat extension at the command line.
Two or more identical file names in the path
If you have two or more files in the command path that have the same file name and extension, Windows XP searches for the specified file name first in the current directory, and then it searches the directories in the command path in the order in which they are listed in PATH.
Searching the MS-DOS subsystem
If you place the path command in your Autoexec.nt file, it automatically appends the specified MS-DOS subsystem search path to the Windows XP search path every time you log on to your computer. Cmd.exe does not use the Autoexec.nt file. When started from a shortcut, Cmd.exe inherits the environment variables set in My Computer/Properties/Advanced/Environment.
Examples
The following command specifies that Windows XP is to search three directories to find external commands. The three paths for these directories are C:\User\Taxes, B:\User\Invest, and B:\Bin:
path c:\user\taxes;b:\user\invest;b:\bin
Formatting legend
Format |
Meaning |
|---|---|
Italic |
Information that the user must supply |
Bold |
Elements that the user must type exactly as shown |
Ellipsis (...) |
Parameter that can be repeated several times in a command line |
Between brackets ([]) |
Optional items |
Between braces ({}); choices separated by pipe (|). Example: {even|odd} |
Set of choices from which the user must choose only one |
Courier font |
Code or program output |