Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!uunet!beartrk!cjp
From: cjp@beartrk.beartrack.com (CJ Pilzer)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.programmer
Subject: Re: Setting the path variable in autoexec.bat
Summary: There are ways to get more than 132 characters in the PATH.
Keywords: path
Message-ID: <420@beartrk.beartrack.com>
Date: 7 Jul 90 05:07:28 GMT
References: <1102@valinor.ACA.MCC.COM> <1990Jun28.211556.10833@Octopus.COM> <2653@aspect.UUCP>
Distribution: usa
Organization: Bear Track Computer Co., Takoma Park, MD.
Lines: 17


The limit on the length of the PATH is in the fact that Command.com will
not pass a line longer than 127 characters.  Since 5 characters are used
by the word "path=", the command.com will truncate the actual path to 122
characters.  The reason the %path% ideas don't work is because the varible
expansion occurs in command.com before the line is send out and is therefore
truncated.

There is no reasonble limit to length of the path if you can get it into the
environment.  There are programs which will do this such as ADDPATH and LONGEST.
They are in the IBMSYS library of Compuserve.  I don't know where to get them
on this network.  The best solution is the Command.com replacement 4DOS.  It
has a command line of 255 characters and a command ESET which allows you to
directly edit the path.  4DOS is so great that this is the least of the
benefits you can get from using it. 

-- cj