Split-Path
Returns the specified part of a path.
Syntax
Split-Path
[-Path] <String[]>
[-Parent]
[-Resolve]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
[-Path] <String[]>
[-NoQualifier]
[-Resolve]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
[-Path] <String[]>
[-Leaf]
[-Resolve]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
[-Path] <String[]>
[-Qualifier]
[-Resolve]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
[-Path] <String[]>
[-Resolve]
[-IsAbsolute]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
-LiteralPath <String[]>
[-Resolve]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
Description
The Split-Path
cmdlet returns only the specified part of a path, such as the parent folder, a
subfolder, or a filename. It can also get items that are referenced by the split path and tell
whether the path is relative or absolute.
You can use this cmdlet to get or submit only a selected part of a path.
Examples
Example 1: Get the qualifier of a path
Split-Path -Path "HKCU:\Software\Microsoft" -Qualifier
HKCU:
This command returns only the qualifier of the path. The qualifier is the drive.
Example 2: Display filenames
Split-Path -Path "C:\Test\Logs\*.log" -Leaf -Resolve
Pass1.log
Pass2.log
...
This command displays the files that are referenced by the split path. Because this path is split to the last item, also known as the leaf, the command displays only the filenames.
The Resolve parameter tells Split-Path
to display the items that the split path references,
instead of displaying the split path.
Like all Split-Path
commands, this command returns strings. It doesn't return FileInfo objects
that represent the files.
Example 3: Get the parent container
Split-Path -Parent "C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\V1.0\about_*.txt"
C:\WINDOWS\system32\WindowsPowerShell\V1.0
This command returns only the parent containers of the path. Because it doesn't include any
parameters to specify the split, Split-Path
uses the split location default, which is Parent.
Example 4: Determines whether a path is absolute
Split-Path -Path ".\My Pictures\*.jpg" -IsAbsolute
False
This command determines whether the path is relative or absolute. In this case, because the path is
relative to the current folder, which is represented by a dot (.
), it returns $False
.
Example 5: Change location to a specified path
PS C:\> Set-Location (Split-Path -Path $profile)
PS C:\Documents and Settings\User01\My Documents\WindowsPowerShell>
This command changes your location to the folder that contains the PowerShell profile.
The command in parentheses uses Split-Path
to return only the parent of the path stored in the
built-in $Profile
variable. The Parent parameter is the default split location parameter.
Therefore, you can omit it from the command. The parentheses direct PowerShell to run the command
first. This is a useful way to move to a folder that has a long path name.
Example 6: Split a path using the pipeline
'C:\Documents and Settings\User01\My Documents\My Pictures' | Split-Path
C:\Documents and Settings\User01\My Documents
This command uses a pipeline operator (|
) to send a path to Split-Path
. The path is enclosed in
quotation marks to indicate that it's a single token.
Parameters
-Credential
Note
This parameter isn't supported by any providers installed with PowerShell. To impersonate another user, or elevate your credentials when running this cmdlet, use Invoke-Command.
Type: | PSCredential |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-IsAbsolute
Indicates that this cmdlet returns $True
if the path is absolute and $False
if it's relative. An
absolute path has a length greater than zero and doesn't use a dot (.
) to indicate the current
path.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Leaf
Indicates that this cmdlet returns only the last item or container in the path. For example, in the
path C:\Test\Logs\Pass1.log
, it returns only Pass1.log
.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-LiteralPath
Specifies the paths to be split. Unlike Path, the value of LiteralPath is used exactly as it is typed. No characters are interpreted as wildcard characters. If the path includes escape characters, enclose it in single quotation marks. Single quotation marks tell PowerShell not to interpret any characters as escape sequences.
Type: | String[] |
Aliases: | PSPath |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-NoQualifier
Indicates that this cmdlet returns the path without the qualifier. For the FileSystem or registry
providers, the qualifier is the drive of the provider path, such as C:
or HKCU:
. For example, in the
path C:\Test\Logs\Pass1.log
, it returns only \Test\Logs\Pass1.log
.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Parent
Indicates that this cmdlet returns only the parent containers of the item or of the container
specified by the path. For example, in the path C:\Test\Logs\Pass1.log
, it returns C:\Test\Logs
.
The Parent parameter is the default split location parameter.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Path
Specifies the paths to be split. Wildcard characters are permitted. If the path includes spaces, enclose it in quotation marks. You can also pipe a path to this cmdlet.
Type: | String[] |
Position: | 0 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | True |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | True |
-Qualifier
Indicates that this cmdlet returns only the qualifier of the specified path. For the FileSystem or
registry providers, the qualifier is the drive of the provider path, such as C:
or HKCU:
.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | 1 |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | True |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-Resolve
Indicates that this cmdlet displays the items that are referenced by the resulting split path instead of displaying the path elements.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | None |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
-UseTransaction
Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is in progress. For more information, see about_Transactions.
Type: | SwitchParameter |
Aliases: | usetx |
Position: | Named |
Default value: | False |
Required: | False |
Accept pipeline input: | False |
Accept wildcard characters: | False |
Inputs
You can pipe a string that contains a path to this cmdlet.
Outputs
This cmdlet returns text strings. When you specify the Resolve parameter, it returns a string that describes the location of the items. It doesn't return objects that represent the items, such as a FileInfo or RegistryKey object.
When you specify the IsAbsolute parameter, this cmdlet returns a Boolean value.
Notes
The split location parameters (Qualifier, Parent, Leaf, and NoQualifier) are exclusive. You can use only one in each command.
The cmdlets that contain the Path noun (the Path cmdlets) work with path names and return the names in a concise format that all PowerShell providers can interpret. They're designed for use in programs and scripts where you want to display all or part of a path name in a particular format. Use them in the way that you would use Dirname, Normpath, Realpath, Join, or other path manipulators.
You can use the Path cmdlets together with several providers. These include the FileSystem, Registry, and Certificate providers.
Split-Path
is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers available in your session, typeGet-PSProvider
. For more information, see about_Providers.
Related Links
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