Adding a directory to the PATH environment variable in Windows

Question

I am trying to add C:\xampp\php to my system PATH environment variable in Windows.

I have already added it using the Environment Variables dialog box.

But when I type into my console:

C:\>path 

it doesn't show the new C:\xampp\php directory:

PATH=D:\Program Files\Autodesk\Maya2008\bin;C:\Ruby192\bin;C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS; C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\PROGRA~1\DISKEE~2\DISKEE~1\;c:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Tools\binn\;C:\Program Files\QuickTime\QTSystem\;D:\Program Files\TortoiseSVN\bin ;D:\Program Files\Bazaar;C:\Program Files\Android\android-sdk\tools;D:\Program Files\ Microsoft Visual Studio\Common\Tools\WinNT;D:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\Common \MSDev98\Bin;D:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\Common\Tools;D:\Program Files\ Microsoft Visual Studio\VC98\bin 

I have two questions:

1. Why did this happen? Is there something I did wrong?
2. Also, how do I add directories to my PATH variable using the console (and programmatically, with a batch file)?

Answer 1

Option 1

After you change PATH with the GUI, close and re-open the console window.

This works because only programs started after the change will see the new PATH.

Option 2

This option only affects your current shell session, not the whole system. Execute this command in the command window you have open:

set PATH=%PATH%;C:\your\path\here\ 

This command appends C:\your\path\here\ to the current PATH. If your path includes spaces, you do NOT need to include quote marks.

Breaking it down:

• set – A command that changes cmd's environment variables only for the current cmd session; other programs and the system are unaffected.
• PATH= – Signifies that PATH is the environment variable to be temporarily changed.
• %PATH%;C:\your\path\here\ – The %PATH% part expands to the current value of PATH, and ;C:\your\path\here\ is then concatenated to it. This becomes the new PATH.

Answer 2

WARNING: This solution may be destructive to your PATH, and the stability of your system. As a side effect, it will merge your user and system PATH, and truncate PATH to 1024 characters. The effect of this command is irreversible. Make a backup of PATH first. See the comments for more information.

Don't blindly copy-and-paste this. Use with caution.

You can permanently add a path to PATH with the setx command:

setx /M path "%path%;C:\your\path\here\" 

Remove the /M flag if you want to set the user PATH instead of the system PATH.

Notes:

• The setx command is only available in Windows 7 and later.

• You should run this command from an elevated command prompt.

• If you only want to change it for the current session, use set.