Edit

Share via

Split-Path

  • Reference
Module:
Microsoft.PowerShell.Management

Returns the specified part of a path.

Syntax

Split-Path
     [-Path] <String[]>
     [-Parent]
     [-Resolve]
     [-Credential <PSCredential>]
     [<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
     [-Path] <String[]>
     -Leaf
     [-Resolve]
     [-Credential <PSCredential>]
     [<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
     [-Path] <String[]>
     -LeafBase
     [-Resolve]
     [-Credential <PSCredential>]
     [<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
     [-Path] <String[]>
     -Extension
     [-Resolve]
     [-Credential <PSCredential>]
     [<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
     [-Path] <String[]>
     -Qualifier
     [-Resolve]
     [-Credential <PSCredential>]
     [<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
     [-Path] <String[]>
     -NoQualifier
     [-Resolve]
     [-Credential <PSCredential>]
     [<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
     [-Path] <String[]>
     [-Resolve]
     -IsAbsolute
     [-Credential <PSCredential>]
     [<CommonParameters>]
Split-Path
     -LiteralPath <String[]>
     [-Resolve]
     [-Credential <PSCredential>]
     [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Split-Path cmdlet returns only the specified part of a path, such as the parent folder, a subfolder, or a filename. It can also get items that are referenced by the split path and tell whether the path is relative or absolute. If you split a path without specifying any other parameters, Split-Path returns the parent part of the path provided.

The Split-Path command returns strings. It doesn't return FileInfo or other item objects like the *-Item commands do.

Examples

Example 1: Get the qualifier of a path

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 filename portion of the path

When using the Leaf parameter, Split-Path returns only the last item in the path string supplied, regardless whether that item is a file or a directory.

Split-Path -Path .\folder1\*.txt -Leaf

*.txt

Split-Path -Path .\folder1\*.txt -Leaf -Resolve

file1.txt
file2.txt

When you use the Resolve parameter, Split-Path resolves the path string provided and returns the items referenced by the path.

Example 3: Get the parent container

When using the Parent parameter, Split-Path returns only the parent container portion of the path string supplied. If the Path string doesn't contain a parent container, Split-Path returns an empty string.

Split-Path -Path .\folder1\file1.txt -Parent

.\folder1

Split-Path -Path .\folder1\file1.txt -Parent -Resolve

D:\temp\test\folder1

When you use the Resolve parameter, Split-Path resolves the path string provided and returns the full path of the parent container.

Example 4: Determines whether a path is absolute

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.

Split-Path -Path ".\My Pictures\*.jpg" -IsAbsolute

False

Example 5: Change location to a specified path

This command changes your location to the folder that contains the PowerShell profile.

PS C:\> Set-Location (Split-Path -Path $PROFILE)
PS C:\Users\User01\Documents\PowerShell>

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 using the pipeline

'C:\Users\User01\My Documents\My Pictures' | Split-Path

C:\Users\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's a single token.

Parameters

-Credential

Note

This parameter isn't 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

-Extension

Indicates that this cmdlet returns only the extension of the leaf. For example, in the path C:\Test\Logs\Pass1.log, it returns only .log.

This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 6.0.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-IsAbsolute

Indicates that this cmdlet returns $true if the path is absolute and $false if it's relative. On Windows, an absolute path string must start with a provider drive specifier, like C: or HKCU:. A relative path starts with a dot (.) or a dot-dot (..).

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:False
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Leaf

When using the Leaf parameter, Split-Path returns only the last item in the path string supplied, regardless whether that item is a file or a directory.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-LeafBase

Indicates that this cmdlet returns only base name of the leaf. For example, in the path C:\Test\Logs\Pass1.log, it returns only Pass1.

This parameter was introduced in PowerShell 6.0.

Type:SwitchParameter
Position:Named
Default value:None
Required:True
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, LP
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:True
Accept pipeline input:True
Accept wildcard characters:False

-Parent

Split-Path returns only the parent container portion of the path string supplied. If the Path string doesn't contain a parent container, Split-Path returns an empty string.

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:True
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

Inputs

String

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

Outputs

String

This cmdlet returns text strings. When you specify the Resolve parameter, it returns a string that describes the location of the items. It doesn't return objects that represent the items, such as a FileInfo or RegistryKey object.

Boolean

When you specify the IsAbsolute parameter, this cmdlet returns a Boolean value.

Notes

  • The split location parameters (Qualifier, Parent, Extension, Leaf, LeafBase, 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're 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.