Resolve-Path
Resolves the wildcard characters in a path, and displays the path contents.
Syntax
Path (Default)
Resolve-Path
[-Path] <String[]>
[-Relative]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
LiteralPath
Resolve-Path
-LiteralPath <String[]>
[-Relative]
[-Credential <PSCredential>]
[-UseTransaction]
[<CommonParameters>]
Description
The Resolve-Path cmdlet displays the items and containers that match the wildcard pattern at the
location specified. The match can include files, folders, registry keys, or any other object
accessible from a PSDrive provider.
Examples
Example 1: Resolve the home folder path
The tilde character (~) is shorthand notation for the current user's home folder. This example
shows Resolve-Path returning the fully qualified path value.
Resolve-Path ~
Path
----
C:\Users\User01
Example 2: Resolve the path of the Windows folder
Resolve-Path -Path "windows"
Path
----
C:\Windows
When run from the root of the C: drive, this command returns the path of the Windows folder in
the C: drive.
Example 3: Get all paths in the Windows folder
"C:\windows\*" | Resolve-Path
This command returns all the files and folders in the C:\Windows folder. The command uses a
pipeline operator (|) to send a path string to Resolve-Path.
Example 4: Resolve a UNC path
Resolve-Path -Path "\\Server01\public"
This command resolves a Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path and returns the shares in the path.
Example 5: Get relative paths
Resolve-Path -Path "C:\prog*" -Relative
.\Program Files
.\Program Files (x86)
.\programs.txt
This command returns relative paths for the directories at the root of the C: drive.
Example 6: Resolve a path containing brackets
This example uses the LiteralPath parameter to resolve the path of the Test[xml] subfolder.
Using LiteralPath causes the brackets to be treated as normal characters rather than a regular
expression.
Resolve-Path -LiteralPath 'test[xml]'
Parameters
-Credential
Specifies a user account that has permission to perform this action. The default is the current user.
Type a user name, such as User01 or Domain01\User01, or pass a PSCredential object. You can
create a PSCredential object using the Get-Credential cmdlet. If you type a user name, this
cmdlet prompts you for a password.
This parameter is not supported by any providers installed with PowerShell.
Parameter properties
| Type: | PSCredential |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | True |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-LiteralPath
Specifies the path to be resolved. The value of the LiteralPath parameter is used exactly as
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.
Parameter properties
| Type: | String[] |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
| Aliases: | PSPath |
Parameter sets
LiteralPath
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | True |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | True |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-Path
Specifies the PowerShell path to resolve. This parameter is required. You can also pipe a path
string to Resolve-Path. Wildcard characters are permitted.
Parameter properties
| Type: | String[] |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | True |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
Path
| Position: | 0 |
| Mandatory: | True |
| Value from pipeline: | True |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | True |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-Relative
Indicates that this cmdlet returns a relative path.
Parameter properties
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Default value: | None |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
-UseTransaction
Includes the command in the active transaction. This parameter is valid only when a transaction is in progress. For more information, see about_Transactions.
Parameter properties
| Type: | SwitchParameter |
| Default value: | False |
| Supports wildcards: | False |
| DontShow: | False |
| Aliases: | usetx |
Parameter sets
(All)
| Position: | Named |
| Mandatory: | False |
| Value from pipeline: | False |
| Value from pipeline by property name: | False |
| Value from remaining arguments: | False |
CommonParameters
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutBuffer, -OutVariable, -PipelineVariable, -ProgressAction, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.
Inputs
String
You can pipe a string that contains a path to this cmdlet.
Outputs
PathInfo
By default, this cmdlet returns a PathInfo object.
String
If you specify the Relative parameter, this cmdlet returns a string value for the resolved path.
Notes
Windows PowerShell includes the following aliases for Resolve-Path:
rvpa
The *-Path cmdlets work with the FileSystem, Registry, and Certificate providers.
Resolve-Path is designed to work with any provider. To list the providers available in your
session, type Get-PSProvider. For more information, see
about_Providers.
Resolve-Path only resolves existing paths. It cannot be used to resolve a location that does not
exist yet.
