Question

I’m trying to use javac with the windows command prompt, but it’s not working.

After adding the directory "C:\Program Files\Java\jdk1.6.0_16\bin\" to the end of the PATH environment variable, the java command works fine, but using javac gives me the following error:

‘javac’ is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.

Answer 1

If you added it in the control panel while your command prompt was open, that won’t affect your current command prompt. You’ll need to exit and re-open or simply do:

set "path=%path%;c:\program files\java\jdk1.6.0_16\bin"

By way of checking, execute:

echo %path%

from your command prompt and let us know what it is.

Otherwise, make sure there is a javac in that directory by trying:

"c:\program files\java\jdk1.6.0_16\bin\javac.exe"

from the command prompt. You can also tell which executable (if any) is being used with the command:

for %i in (javac.exe) do @echo %~$PATH:i

This is a neat trick similar to the which and/or whence commands in some UNIX-type operating systems.