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Princeton CS
introcs.cs.princeton.edu › java › 15inout › classpath.html
Setting the Classpath in Java
Go to that directory and compile them. ... From DrJava, choose the menu option Edit -> Preferences -> Resource Locations -> Extra Classpath -> Add and select C:\introcs. Click the Apply button, then the OK button. To set the classpath for the Windows XP Command Prompt:
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Oracle
docs.oracle.com › javase › 8 › docs › technotes › tools › unix › classpath.html
2 Setting the Class Path
April 21, 2026 - You can change the class path by using the -classpath or -cp option of some Java commands when you call the JVM or other JDK tools or by using the CLASSPATH environment variable. See JDK Commands Class Path Options.
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HowToDoInJava
howtodoinjava.com › home › java examples › java – set classpath from command line
Java - Set Classpath from Command Line
January 25, 2022 - In Windows, the path separator is semicolon ( ; ) and the path separator in Linux is colon ( : ). ... Use -classpath or -cp option to provide the classpath locations while starting the Java application or tool.
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Michigan State University
web.pa.msu.edu › reference › jdk-1.2.2-docs › tooldocs › solaris › classpath-linux.html
Setting the class path
The class path can be set using either the -classpath option when calling a JDK tool (the preferred method) or by setting the CLASSPATH environment variable. The -classpath option is preferred because you can set it individually for each application without affecting other applications and ...
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How to do in Java
howtodoinjava.com › home › java basics › java classpath
How to set CLASSPATH in Java - HowToDoInJava
February 23, 2023 - Use -classpath argument to set classpath from command prompt/console.
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Oracle
docs.oracle.com › javase › › 7 › docs › technotes › tools › windows › classpath.html
Setting the class path
But when classes are stored in an archive file (a .zip or .jar file) the class path entry is the path to and including the .zip or .jar file. For example, to use a class library that is in a .jar file, the command would look something like this: C:> java -classpath C:\java\MyClasses\myclasses.jar ...
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Blogger
javarevisited.blogspot.com › 2011 › 01 › how-classpath-work-in-java.html
How to Set Classpath for Java on Windows and Linux? Steps and Example
Classpath can be specified using CLASSPATH environment variable which is case insensitive, -cp or -classpath command-line option or Class-Path attribute in manifest.mf file inside the JAR file in Java.
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GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › java › different-ways-to-set-a-classpath-in-java
Different Ways to Set a Classpath in Java - GeeksforGeeks
July 23, 2025 - If we want to access classpath for all command lines, we must set the classpath command option.
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Edureka
edureka.co › blog › set-java-classpath
How To Set Classpath In Java | Java Path And Classpath | Edureka
June 19, 2023 - If you want to specify classpath while running any program using command line you can use Java -cp “some.jar;someOther.jar” com.edureka.HelloWorld . Here these two jars will be available to the program currently executed.
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Oracle
docs.oracle.com › javase › tutorial › essential › environment › paths.html
PATH and CLASSPATH (The Java™ Tutorials > Essential Java Classes > The Platform Environment)
To set the path: ... The CLASSPATH ... class path or the extensions directory.) The preferred way to specify the class path is by using the -cp command line switch....
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@ankurm
ankurm.com › home › setting the classpath from the command line in java
Setting the Classpath from the Command Line in Java
October 28, 2025 - The classpath is the list of paths that Java checks for classes and resources. In this guide we’ll explore how to set the classpath in a few different ways—via the java and javac commands, through the CLASSPATH environment variable and by using the -cp / -classpath switch.
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GeeksforGeeks
geeksforgeeks.org › java › how-to-set-classpath-in-java
How to Set Classpath in Java? - GeeksforGeeks
July 23, 2025 - Find out where you have installed Java, basically, it's in /usr/lib/jvm path. Set the CLASSPATH in /etc/environment using ... Note: Colon (:) is used as a separate directory and dot (.) is the default value of CLASSPATH in the above command.
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UCSB
sites.cs.ucsb.edu › ~cappello › 50-2005-Winter › lectures › classpath.html
Setting the class path
To run that app, you could use the following JVM command: % java -classpath /java/MyClasses utility.myapp.Cool
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Muthu Saravanan
mshappylearning.wordpress.com › 2014 › 08 › 31 › java-path-and-classpath-settings-on-windows-command-prompt-system-variables
JAVA Path and Classpath Settings on Windows (command prompt / System Variables) | Muthu Saravanan
August 31, 2014 - set path=%path%;<java installed directory\bin> set classpath=%classpath%;<java installed directory\lib\*.jar> where path=%path% and classpath=%classpath% are case sensitive. Many people do mistake here.
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Refreshjava
refreshjava.com › java › what-is-path-and-classpath
Path and Classpath in Java - Set path in Java - RefreshJava
The CLASSPATH variable is a way ... value, first you can set this as an environment variable in OS, second you can use -cp or -classpath command line option in command window itself....
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Princeton
cs.princeton.edu › courses › archive › fall97 › cs461 › jdkdocs › tooldocs › win32 › classpath.html
classpath - Environment Variables
If the path to the mypackage directory is C:\java\MyClasses\mypackage, you would set the CLASSPATH variable as follows: ... If your CLASSPATH environment variable has been set to a value that is not correct, or if your startup file or script is setting an incorrect path, you can unset CLASSPATH by using: set CLASSPATH= This command unsets only CLASSPATH's current value. You should also delete or modify the lines ...
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/learnprogramming › java : how to use a -classpath in the command prompt.
r/learnprogramming on Reddit: Java : How to use a -classpath in the command prompt.
August 6, 2015 -

So I have two different .java files in two different directories. One contains the main method which calls the other one through its method name. . This is in the directory

E:\JavaWorld\TardyCoder\temp1

Here is my program which contains the main method with the fileName Lemons.java

public class Lemons{
public static void main(String args[]){

Sorra sorraObject = new Sorra();
sorraObject.testName();	
 }
 }

My another program is in the directory

E:\JavaWorld\TardyCoder\temp2

Here is my program Sorra.java which doesn't contain the main method.

 class Sorra{
public void testName(){
System.out.println("My name is Khan.");
 }
 }

I used -sourcepath to create two .class files like this:

   E:\JavaWorld\TardyCoder\temp1>javac -sourcepath E:\JavaWorld\TardyCoder\temp2 Lemons.java

Everything worked perfectly and i got two .class files in their respective directories.

Now I tried to use the -classpath to get the output like this:

E:\JavaWorld\TardyCoder\temp1>java -classpath .; E:\JavaWorld\TardyCoder\temp2 Lemons

But I'm getting an error :(

Error: Could not find or load main class E:\JavaWorld\TardyCoder\temp2

Please explain the right way to use -classpath in command prompt.

Edit: Got the answer. There should be no space after .;

Top answer
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http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/j-classpath-windows/ Best article about the topic. Please include the error next time.
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You need to put 2 line breaks to make paragraphs in your post. To format code blocks, indent with 4 spaces. Then your post becomes more readable and you'll get more help: So I have two different .java files in two different directories. One contains the main method which calls the other one through its method name. I used -sourcepath to create two .class files like this: E:\... javac -sourcepath E:\... FileName.java Now I tried to use the -classpath to get the output like this: E:\... java -classpath E:\.. FileName But I'm getting an error :( Please explain the way to use -classpath in command prompt. First things first, you should always mention errors when ever you ask for help. Anyway, I assume this isn't what you're actually executing, since it's not valid syntax. I assume that you must have removed paths and that the leading path is actually part of the prompt string (most people use $ to show the prompt string). If that's not the case, then this would be the underlying problem. It's noteworthy that you probably don't want to be using absolute paths here. You almost always want relative paths (eg, if you're in /foo/bar/baz and want to refer to a file with the path /foo/bar/tor/gat.png, you'd use the relative path ../tor/gat.png -- .. means go up a folder). Anyway, when you've compiled your Java files into class files, their location is the class path that you'd want. In 99% of projects, you don't need to set the class path because it defaults to including the current directory, which is what you'd want. Eg, if your project contains two files, A.java and B.java in the default package, you'd compile with javac A.java B.java # Or use `javac *.java` for simplicity which will result in the files A.class and B.class (and possibly others for inner classes, etc) appearing in the directory. You'd then merely have to point the JVM at the class with the entry point with java A Which requires no classpath since the class files are in the default package and the current working directory, and thus the JVM is able to find them. Now on the other hand, if your project had the files in foo/A.java and foo/B.java, where foo is the package they're in, you'd have to run the files from the base directory (not in the packages) with java foo.A # Note the dot instead of a slash And if foo.A needs foo.B, then the JVM will be searching for foo/B.class. So how does the JVM know where to look? That's what the classpath is for. In the cases above, we didn't have to set the class path because we made sure to work from the base directory from which all our packages are in. Usually you'd set the classpath for libraries, not for your own code. Having to set it for your own code may be indicative of you doing something wrong. If you get the general gist of what I'm saying here, perhaps you'll be able to figure out how to get things working (experiment a bit, if needed). If you're still stuck, elaborate on the exact paths you're using, the locations of files, the error message you're getting, and the packages that files are in.
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Dkessner
dkessner.github.io › ProcessingLibraryExamples › classpath.html
Setting the Java CLASSPATH | ProcessingLibraryExamples
After you extract the Processing application, you should drag it to the Applications folder in Finder. The path to the folder with the Processing libraries (.jar files) will then be: /Applications/Processing.app/Contents/Java/core/library · You can set the CLASSPATH on the command line.