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 Varia

Answer 1

Checking the above suggestions on Windows 10 LTSB, and with a glimpse on the "help" outlines (that can be viewed when typing 'command /?' on the cmd), brought me to the conclusion that the PATH command changes the system environment variable Path values only for the current session, but after reboot all the values reset to their default- just as they were prior to using the PATH command.

On the other hand using the SETX command with administrative privileges is way more powerful. It changes those values for good (or at least until the next time this command is used or until next time those values are manually GUI manipulated... ).

The best SETX syntax usage that worked for me:

SETX PATH "%PATH%;C:\path\to\where\the\command\resides"

where any equal sign '=' should be avoided, and don't you worry about spaces! There isn't any need to insert any more quotation marks for a path that contains spaces inside it - the split sign ';' does the job.

The PATH keyword that follows the SETX defines which set of values should be changed among the System Environment Variables possible values, and the %PATH% (the word PATH surrounded by the percent sign) inside the quotation marks, tells the OS to leave the existing PATH values as they are and add the following path (the one that follows the split sign ';') to the existing values.