JSI Tip 9055. What command will return the folders in my PATH, one per line?

Making use of Environment Variable string substitution syntax, and the FOR %variable IN (set) DO command command, you can use the command-line, or a batch, to display the folders in your %PATH%, one per line:

Command-line

for %f in ("%PATH:;=" "%") do @echo %f

Batch

for %%f in ("%PATH:;=" "%") do @echo %%f

If you wish to also strip the encapsulating quote marks ("), you can add parameter parsing:

Command-line

for %f in ("%PATH:;=" "%") do @echo %~f

Batch

for %%f in ("%PATH:;=" "%") do @echo %%~f

Examples:

If your %PATH% contains:

C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\;C:\WIN_ONE;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\UTIL

Typing for %f in ("%PATH:;=" "%") do @echo %f would return:

"C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\Tools\"
"C:\WIN_ONE"
"C:\WINDOWS\system32"
"C:\WINDOWS"
"C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem"
"C:\UTIL"

while typing for %f in ("%PATH:;=" "%") do @echo %~f would return:

C:\Program Files\Windows Resource Kits\ToolsC:\WIN_ONE
C:\WINDOWS\system32
C:\WINDOWS
C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem
C:\UTIL

NOTE: What is happening with ("%PATH:;=" "%"):

1. The leading " inserts a quote mark at the beginning of the set.

2. The %PATH:;=" "% replaces all ;s with " ", defining the end of each folder path and the beginning of the next.

3. The trailing " inserts a quote mark at the end of the set.

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