Please confirm W2K bug with PATH variable

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Guest

I administer a large number of Windows 2000 machines and I've noticed that two consecutive semicolons ";;" in the PATH variable breaks the path in that no directories in the path are searched (or at least the ones before the semicolons). I noticed the problem when certain software on our machines puts two semicolons in the path when it is installed. Our login script invokes processes located in \WINNT and this won't work with the two semicolons. Removing the extra semicolon fixes the problem. We use Windows 2000 Professional SP3. If this problem (or feature?) is documented anywhere, I haven't found it.
 
Why would an incorrect entry in the path statement be a bug?

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Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft MVP [Windows NT/2000 Operating Systems]

adagioforstrings said:
I administer a large number of Windows 2000 machines and I've noticed that
Click to expand...
two consecutive semicolons ";;" in the PATH variable breaks the path in that
no directories in the path are searched (or at least the ones before the
semicolons). I noticed the problem when certain software on our machines
puts two semicolons in the path when it is installed. Our login script
invokes processes located in \WINNT and this won't work with the two
semicolons. Removing the extra semicolon fixes the problem. We use Windows
2000 Professional SP3. If this problem (or feature?) is documented
anywhere, I haven't found it.
 
I assert that two consecutive semicolons is no more wrong than a directory which doesn't exist: the rest of path should be parsed correctly. Two consecutive semicolons should be interpreted as a null directory if anything. In any case, the path in question fits the rules for constructing a path as given by Microsoft. I have done further investigation and found that the path can work correctly with the two semicolons, yet removing one of the two consecutive semicolons is indeed the solution to the problem I previously described. Two different kinds of behavior with the same input implies a bug somewhere. But I obviously still have to find a scenario in which I can 100% reproduce it.
 
adagioforstrings said:
I administer a large number of Windows 2000 machines and I've noticed that two consecutive semicolons ";;" in the PATH variable breaks the path in that no directories in the path are searched (or at least the ones before the semicolons). I noticed the problem when certain software on our machines puts two semicolons in the path when it is installed. Our login script invokes processes located in \WINNT and this won't work with the two semicolons. Removing the extra semicolon fixes the problem. We use
Click to expand...
Windows 2000 Professional SP3. If this problem (or feature?) is documented anywhere, I haven't found it.

I am not able to reproduce the problem. After inserting a double
semicolon into the path on my system, everything I tried continued to work
with no evident problem. Perhaps your problem is location- or
application-specific. If you will describe your problem in more detail,
I'll try to replicate it again.
 
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