Path environment variable
in [Windows XP Basics]
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From: mp on 10 Feb 2010 20:35 I'm trying to add a path to the Path var found this quote on wikipedia The most common method of setting an environment variable in Windows is via <Control Panel:System:Advanced:Environment Variables>. when i look at Path via that method it does not return what the command prmpt Path returns. I'm looking for a "windowed" way to fix the path, as i don't want to retype the whole thing at the command prompt (i know i'd make a mistake and hose the system) there is an extra semicolon that shouldn't be there and a path I appended lacks a needed semicolon. was hoping to find some way in windows to look at the path where i could make an easy edit. it used to be in autoexec.bat or command.com if i recall back in the old days... any tips. thanks mark
From: David H. Lipman on 10 Feb 2010 21:15 From: "mp" <nospam(a)thanks.com> | I'm trying to add a path to the Path var | found this quote on wikipedia | The most common method of setting an environment variable in Windows is via | <Control Panel:System:Advanced:Environment Variables>. | when i look at Path via that method it does not return what the command | prmpt Path returns. | I'm looking for a "windowed" way to fix the path, as i don't want to retype | the whole thing at the command prompt (i know i'd make a mistake and hose | the system) | there is an extra semicolon that shouldn't be there and a path I appended | lacks a needed semicolon. | was hoping to find some way in windows to look at the path where i could | make an easy edit. | it used to be in autoexec.bat or command.com if i recall back in the old | days... | any tips. | thanks | mark Right click on "My Computer" Advanced --> Environmental variables --> System variables --> Path --> edit Append your string and save. Open a Command Prompt Type; path Your will see your string appended to the Path env. variable. -- Dave http://www.claymania.com/removal-trojan-adware.html Multi-AV - http://www.pctipp.ch/downloads/dl/35905.asp
From: Ol�rin on 11 Feb 2010 04:01 "mp" <nospam(a)thanks.com> wrote in message news:u9MOOqrqKHA.3848(a)TK2MSFTNGP06.phx.gbl... > I'm trying to add a path to the Path var > > found this quote on wikipedia > The most common method of setting an environment variable in Windows is > via <Control Panel:System:Advanced:Environment Variables>. > > when i look at Path via that method it does not return what the command > prmpt Path returns. > > I'm looking for a "windowed" way to fix the path, as i don't want to > retype the whole thing at the command prompt (i know i'd make a mistake > and hose the system) > there is an extra semicolon that shouldn't be there and a path I appended > lacks a needed semicolon. > > was hoping to find some way in windows to look at the path where i could > make an easy edit. > it used to be in autoexec.bat or command.com if i recall back in the old > days... > any tips. > thanks > mark > > Follow the Wikipedia route, find and click on Path *in "System variables"* in the lower half of the screen, then click on Edit. Otherwise you won't (necessarily) see the full contents of your "path". Even then, the "Edit" field doesn't display the whole path if it's long - you'll probably need to cursor arrow over to the left to get to different parts of it. Perhaps hit Home, Shift+End, Ctrl+C and paste the contents into notepad to view more easily. I don't understand why what you see there would be different to the output from a command prompt "path". To test, I've just made a trivial change via System Properties, okayed my way out, and the change was immediately reflected (accurately) in the command prompt. If you genuinely have differences, I'd be interested to see what other, more knowledgeable posters can offer here.
From: Jose on 11 Feb 2010 09:30 On Feb 10, 8:35 pm, "mp" <nos...(a)thanks.com> wrote: > I'm trying to add a path to the Path var > > found this quote on wikipedia > The most common method of setting an environment variable in Windows is via > <Control Panel:System:Advanced:Environment Variables>. > > when i look at Path via that method it does not return what the command > prmpt Path returns. > > I'm looking for a "windowed" way to fix the path, as i don't want to retype > the whole thing at the command prompt (i know i'd make a mistake and hose > the system) > there is an extra semicolon that shouldn't be there and a path I appended > lacks a needed semicolon. > > was hoping to find some way in windows to look at the path where i could > make an easy edit. > it used to be in autoexec.bat or command.com if i recall back in the old > days... > any tips. > thanks > mark What you see in Environment Variables may not look like what you see when you type in path. In Environment Variables, you may see substitutions, placeholders and aliases that Windows understands like: %systemroot% These help Windows operate in environments where things may not always be installed in c:\windows. If I click Start, Run and enter: %systemroot% I end up in the C:\windows folder as expected for my system. That %systemroot% will get translated automatically when you type in path from a command prompt. The semicolon separates variables and there is no harm in having an "extra" semicolon on the end. It is just ready for the next variable to be added. Over time with things installed/uninstalled, the path variable can get cluttered up. It may not hurt anything, but it is sloppy. You are best to maintain your path using the Environment Variables method you already discovered. Here is a list of those kinds of variables and what the substitutions mean: http://vlaurie.com/computers2/Articles/environment.htm
From: mp on 11 Feb 2010 18:21
"David H. Lipman" <DLipman~nospam~@Verizon.Net> wrote in message news:ejQwGAsqKHA.3908(a)TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl... > From: "mp" <nospam(a)thanks.com> > > | I'm trying to add a path to the Path var > snip > > > Right click on "My Computer" > Advanced --> Environmental variables --> System variables --> Path --> > edit > Sorry, should have mentioned i'm on xp, no advanced item in right click menu on myComputer |