({{, (RefLink[$Path, paclet:ref/$Path])
gives the default list of directories to search in attempting to find an external file. }})

OpenersNotesSection(Spacer1)Details

The structure of directory and file names may differ from one computer system to another.

(RefLink[$Path, paclet:ref/$Path]) is used both for files in (RefLink[Get, paclet:ref/Get]) and for external programs in (RefLink[Install, paclet:ref/Install]).

The setting for (RefLink[$Path, paclet:ref/$Path]) can be overridden in specific functions using the (RefLink[Path, paclet:ref/Path]) option.

The directory names are specified by strings. The full file names tested are of the form (RefLink[FileNameJoin, paclet:ref/FileNameJoin])[{directory,name}].

On most computer systems, the following special characters can be used in directory names:

(RefLink[$Path, paclet:ref/$Path]) can contain nested sublists.

OpenersPrimaryExamplesSection(Spacer1)Examples  (1)

OpenersExampleSection0(Spacer1)Basic Examples  (1)

Add a directory in which to look for files after all of the system defaults:

AppendTo[$Path, FileNameJoin[{$HomeDirectory,"MyPackages"}]];

Add a directory in which to look for files before any of the system defaults:

PrependTo[$Path, FileNameJoin[{$HomeDirectory,"MyPackages","LookHereFirst"}]];

({{DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedFunction.png, ({{See Also}, {(RefLink[FindFile, paclet:ref/FindFile])  ▪  (RefLink[Path, paclet:ref/Path])  ▪  (RefLink[Directory, paclet:ref/Directory])  ▪  (RefLink[NotebookDirectory, paclet:ref/NotebookDirectory])  ▪  (RefLink[SetDirectory, paclet:ref/SetDirectory])  ▪  (RefLink[Get, paclet:ref/Get])  ▪  (RefLink[DirectoryName, paclet:ref/DirectoryName])  ▪  (RefLink[$Input, paclet:ref/$Input])  ▪  (RefLink[$InputFileName, paclet:ref/$InputFileName])  ▪  (RefLink[$PersistencePath, paclet:ref/$PersistencePath])}})}})

({{DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedTutorial.png, ({{Tutorials}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Naming and Finding Files, paclet:tutorial/NamingAndFindingFiles])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Wolfram System File Organization, paclet:tutorial/WolframSystemFileOrganization])}})}})

({{DocumentationFooterIconsRelatedGuide.png, ({{Related Guides}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Wolfram System Setup, paclet:guide/WolframSystemSetup])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Directories & Directory Operations, paclet:guide/DirectoriesAndDirectoryOperations])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Operations on File Names, paclet:guide/OperationsOnFileNames])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Session Customization, paclet:guide/SessionCustomization])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Wolfram System Sessions, paclet:guide/WolframSystemSessions])}, {▪(RefLinkPlain[Wolfram System Session Information, paclet:guide/WolframSystemSessionInformation])}})}})