Overcoming the 1024 character limit with setx

Question

I am trying to set environment variables using the setx command, such as follows

setx PATH "f:\common tools\git\bin;f:\common tools\python\app;f:\common tools\python\app\scripts;f:\common tools\ruby\bin;f:\masm32\bin;F:\Borland\BCC55\Bin;%PATH%"

However, I get the following error if the value is more then 1024 characters long:

WARNING: The data being saved is truncated to 1024 characters.

SUCCESS: Specified value was saved.

But some of the paths in the end are not saved in variable, I guess due to character limit as the error suggests.

Answer 1

Your best bet is to edit the registry directly.

Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment and edit the Path value (then reboot to activate the new value).

Note however that while you can enter a very long path, (up to the maximum environment variable length; 2,048 or 32,768 bytes depending on the source), not all software will be able to read and handle it correctly if it is too long.

Answer 2

if you are using windows vista or higher, you can make a symbolic link to the folder. for example:

mklink /d C:\pf "C:\Program Files"
mklink /d C:\pf86 "C:\Program Files (x86)"

would make a link so c:\pf would be your program files folder. I shaved off 300 characters from my path by using this trick.

(I know it's not related to setx but it is useful for people which are searching overcomming on 1024 char limit)

Answer 3

You could use a PowerShell script similar to the following:

$newPath = 'f:\common tools\git\bin;f:\common tools\python\app;f:\common tools\python\app\scripts;f:\common tools\ruby\bin;f:\masm32\bin;F:\Borland\BCC55\Bin'
$oldPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('path', 'machine');
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('path2', "$($newPath);$($oldPath)",'Machine');

The Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable() API call will broadcast WM_SETTINGCHANGE so you do not need to reboot.

Answer 4

This open-source SetEnv command-line tool is good to edit the PATH and other environment variables without limitations. It uses a dynamic buffer so no static limitations like 1024.

http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/12153/SetEnv

The choice of a % as a prefix to append to a variable could have been better though, as makes the syntax difficult sometimes if used with other batch local variables...

Answer 5

A far superior tool than setx for path manipulation is pathed.exe. Unfortunately, it's limited to editing the path.

In addition to a superior user experience than setx, you don't have a 1024 character limit. Unlike direct registry manipulation, this application uses the Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable() API call which will broadcast WM_SETTINGCHANGE.

Answer 6

My favorite way is to change the folder names in the PATH variables to use the 8.3 names. This StackOverflow answer has an awesome script (run from a .bat file) that will generate the "minified" version of the entire PATH variable, which you can then paste into the Edit Variable dialog(s). Only caveat is that you will need to split out the SYSTEM and USER parts. As the script goes through and figures out the minified version for each folder, it discards and alerts you of any invalid/non-existent paths. Nice little clean up bonus.

Answer 7

You can put this line in your BAT:

setx path "%%path%%;c:\drive\fr;c:\drive\installs\7z"

See the double %%.

(Reference: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/75634)

Answer 8

I think the best way is the next (with powershell) With this way also you avoid the litmit of 1024 character.

You can see the code on: https://gist.github.com/drazul/b92f780689bd89a0d2a7

#------------ Add path to system variable -------------------------------------

$path2add = ';C:\path;'
$systemPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('Path', 'machine');

If (!$systemPath.contains($path2add)) {
    $systemPath += $path2add
    $systemPath = $systemPath -join ';'
    [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('Path', $systemPath, 'Machine');
    write-host "Added to path!"
    write-host $systemPath
}

#------------ Delete path from system variable --------------------------------

$path2delete = 'C:\path;'
$systemPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('Path', 'machine');

$systemPath = $systemPath.replace($path2delete, '')
$systemPath = $systemPath -join ';'

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('Path', $systemPath, 'Machine');

write-host "Deleted from path!"
write-host $systemPath

#------------ Clean system variable -------------------------------------------

$systemPath = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('Path', 'machine');

while ($systemPath.contains(';;')) {
    $systemPath = $systemPath.replace(';;', ';')
}

[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('Path', $systemPath, 'Machine');

write-host "Cleaned path!"
write-host $systemPath

Answer 9

if it is not required to keep system PATH and user PATH separate:

::setx /m truncate variable length to 1024 REG ADD 
REG ADD "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment" /v PATH /t REG_SZ /f /d "%PATH%"
::empty local path, use system wide only, else it will enlarge with every setx /m
setx PATH ""
::setx is dummy but propagate system wide variables with it
setx /m A A