Join-Path

Article
04/20/2010

Applies To: Windows PowerShell 2.0

Combines a path and a child path into a single path. The provider supplies the path delimiters.

Syntax

Join-Path [-Path] <string[]> [-ChildPath] <string> [-Credential <PSCredential>] [-Resolve] [-UseTransaction] [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Join-Path cmdlet combines a path and child-path into a single path. The provider supplies the path delimiters.

Parameters

-ChildPath <string>

Specifies the elements to append to the value of Path. Wildcards are permitted. The ChildPath parameter is required, although the parameter name ("ChildPath") is optional.

Required?	true
Position?	2
Default Value
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByPropertyName)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	true

-Credential <PSCredential>

Specifies a user account that has permission to perform this action. The default is the current user.

Type a user name, such as "User01" or "Domain01\User01". Or, enter a PSCredential object, such as one generated by the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, you will be prompted for a password.

This parameter is not supported by any providers installed with Windows PowerShell.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByPropertyName)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

-Path <string[]>

Specifies the main path (or paths) to which the child-path is appended. Wildcards are permitted.

The value of Path determines which provider joins the paths and adds the path delimiters. The Path parameter is required, although the parameter name ("Path") is optional.

Required?	true
Position?	1
Default Value
Accept Pipeline Input?	true (ByValue, ByPropertyName)
Accept Wildcard Characters?	true

-Resolve

Displays the items that are referenced by the joined path.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value
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.

Required?	false
Position?	named
Default Value
Accept Pipeline Input?	false
Accept Wildcard Characters?	false

<CommonParameters>

This command supports the common parameters: Verbose, Debug, ErrorAction, ErrorVariable, OutBuffer, OutVariable, WarningAction, and WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.

Inputs and Outputs

The input type is the type of the objects that you can pipe to the cmdlet. The return type is the type of the objects that the cmdlet returns.

Inputs

System.String

You can pipe a string that contains a path to Join-Path.

Outputs

System.String

Join-Path returns a string that contains the resulting path.

Notes

The cmdlets that contain the Path noun (the Path cmdlets) manipulate path names and return the names in a concise format that all Windows PowerShell providers can interpret. They are 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 like you would use Dirname, Normpath, Realpath, Join, or other path manipulators.

You can use the path cmdlets with several providers, including the FileSystem, Registry, and Certificate providers.

The Join-Path cmdlet is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers available in your session, type "Get-PSProvider". For more information, see about_Providers.

Example 1

C:\PS>join-path -path c:\win* -childpath System*

Description
-----------
This command uses Join-Path to combine the "c:\Win*" path with the "System*" child path. The Windows PowerShell file system provider, FileSystem joins the path and adds the "\" delimiter.

Example 2

C:\PS>join-path c:\win* System* -resolve

Description
-----------
This command displays the files and folders that are referenced by joining the "c:\Win*" path and the "System*" child path. It displays the same files and folders as Get-ChildItem, but it displays the fully qualified path to each item. In this command, the Path and ChildPath optional parameter names are omitted.

Example 3

C:\PS>PS HKLM:\> join-path System *ControlSet* -resolve

Description
-----------
This command displays the registry keys in the HKLM\System registry subkey that include "ControlSet". This example shows how to use Join-Path with the Windows PowerShell registry provider.

Example 4

C:\PS>join-path -path C:, D:, E:, F: -childpath New

Description
-----------
This command uses Join-Path to combine multiple path roots with a child path.

Example 5

C:\PS>get-psdrive -psprovider filesystem | foreach {$_.root} | join-path -childpath Subdir

Description
-----------
This command combines the roots of each Windows PowerShell file system drive in the console with the Subdir child path. 

The command uses the Get-PSDrive cmdlet to get the Windows PowerShell drives supported by the FileSystem provider. The ForEach statement selects only the Root property of the PSDriveInfo objects and combines it with the specified child path.

The output shows that the Windows PowerShell drives on the computer included a drive mapped to the C:\Program Files directory.

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