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Split-Path

  • Reference
Module:
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management

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 file name. 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

PS C:\> 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 file names

PS C:\> 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 file names.

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 does not return FileInfo objects that represent the files.

Example 3: Get the parent container

PS C:\> Split-Path -Path "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 does not 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

PS C:\> 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 by using the pipeline

PS C:\> '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 is a single token.

Parameters

-Credential

Note

This parameter is not 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 is relative. An absolute path has a length greater than zero and does not 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

String

You can pipe a string that contains a path to this cmdlet.

Outputs

System.String, System.Boolean

Split-Path returns text strings. When you specify the Resolve parameter, Split-Path returns a string that describes the location of the items; it does not return objects that represent the items, such as a FileInfo or RegistryKey object.

When you specify the IsAbsolute parameter, Split-Path 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 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 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, type Get-PSProvider. For more information, see about_Providers.