Use Search Path Option?

[jowensii]

Anybody know what the "Use Search Path" option found in the If Commands menu option when you select any of the If File commands.

 

I am using v3.5e and the Help topic does not mention what this does.

[kevin]

The Path in Windows is a list of directories (or folders) where a program can be located. When you type a command in the Run dialog, it first searches in the Current Directory (that's another topic) for that program. If it doesn't find it then it searches in all the directories specified in the Path. The Path is what allows you to type 'notepad.exe' in the Run dialog instead of 'c:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\notepad.exe'.

 

The 'Search Path' option in the commands tells Macro Express to search through the list of directories defined in the Path for the file you specified. This allows you to use something like 'InFile.txt' instead of 'c:\somepath\InFile.txt' if your file exists in a folder specified in your Path.

 

Here are two ways to view the Path:

1. In Control Panel

• Open the Control Panel
  
• Click on System
  
• Click on the Advanced tab
  
• Click on the Environment Variables button
  
• Look for Path. You may need to highlight it and click Edit to view the entire path.
  

2. In the command prompt

• Open the Command Prompt
  
• Type 'set' followed by the ENTER key
  
• The Path, along with other environment variables, will be displayed.
  

You may want to visit these web sites for more detailed explanation of the Path:

Microsoft Windows XP - Path

www.pcmag.com encyclopedia - DOS path name

[jowensii]

Yeah OK. I'm familiar with the PATH variable. I just never made the connection.

 

Thanks for the explanation.