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An̲̳̳drew
Asked: 2009-08-26 06:59:19 +0800 CST

Whence for Windows?

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I'm trying to determine the location of an executable (java.exe) on Windows. I know it must exist somewhere in the PATH since I can run it, but I don't know the exact directory that it is being run from. On a UNIX system I could use the whence command to obtain this information. Is there an equivalent command for Windows systems?

windows troubleshooting path

6 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    On my Vista laptop if I type "where java.exe" from the command prompt it gives me the location of java.exe.

    Hope this helps.

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  2. Not exactly. You have a few choices:

    • At a command prompt from the root of C: run: Dir /s java.exe
    • install the win32 port of which.exe (there may be a whence.exe port too)
    • use the search functionality in windows explorer
    • get one of several third party windows file indexing and searching utilities
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  3. Install this: http://gnuwin32.sourceforge.net/packages/which.htm Then open a command prompt and type: which java

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  4. In a command prompt type "path".... that will give you your path you can also use the "find" command.

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  5. Check out the first Google hit for "equivalent whence windows". You'll have to write a small utility to do it.

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  6. Here's a "whereis" script from Raymond Chen's blog:

    http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2005/01/20/357225.aspx

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