# Java Shell type Command Returns Different Path Than Expected During Testing

**URL:** <https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/java-shell-type-command-returns-different-path-than-expected-during-testing/12811>\
**Category:** Challenges\
**Tags:** challenge:shell\
**Created:** [June 29, 2025, 5:32pm UTC](https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/java-shell-type-command-returns-different-path-than-expected-during-testing/12811 "2025-06-29T17:32:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PsyKnight](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forum.codecrafters.io/psyknight/32/13696_2.png) [@PsyKnight](https://forum.codecrafters.io/u/PsyKnight)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2025, 5:32pm UTC](https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/java-shell-type-command-returns-different-path-than-expected-during-testing/12811/1 "2025-06-29T17:32:38Z")

</div>

I’m stuck on Stage #MG5. (The type builtin: executable files)

In this stage, we have to extend the `type` builtin to search for executable files using [PATH]

During testing, when I run

```auto
type my_exe

```

my program outputs:

```auto
my_exe is /tmp/baz/my_exe

```

but the test expects:

```auto
my_exe is /tmp/foo/my_exe

```

Here are my logs:

```auto
[tester::#MG5] Running tests for Stage #MG5 (The type builtin: executable files)
[tester::#MG5] [setup] export PATH=/tmp/quz:$PATH
[tester::#MG5] [setup] export PATH=/tmp/bar:$PATH
[tester::#MG5] [setup] export PATH=/tmp/foo:$PATH
[tester::#MG5] [setup] PATH is now: /tmp/foo:/tmp/bar:/tmp/quz:...
[tester::#MG5] [setup] Available executables:
[tester::#MG5] [setup] - my_exe
[tester::#MG5] Running ./your_program.sh
[your-program] $ type cat
[your-program] cat is /bin/cat
[tester::#MG5] ✓ Received expected response
[your-program] $ type cp
[your-program] cp is /bin/cp
[tester::#MG5] ✓ Received expected response
[your-program] $ type mkdir
[your-program] mkdir is /bin/mkdir
[tester::#MG5] ✓ Received expected response
[your-program] $ type my_exe
[your-program] my_exe is /tmp/baz/my_exe
[tester::#MG5] ^ Line does not match expected value.
[tester::#MG5] Expected: "my_exe is /tmp/bar/my_exe"
[tester::#MG5] Received: "my_exe is /tmp/baz/my_exe"
[your-program] $ 
[tester::#MG5] Assertion failed.
[tester::#MG5] Test failed

```

And here’s a snippet of my code:

```java
import java.io.File;
import java.util.Arrays;
import java.util.Scanner;

public class Main {
    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
        Scanner scanner = new Scanner(System.in);
        String input = "";
        String[] words;
        String command;
        String[] arguments;
        String argumentString; // to store rest of the arguments as a string
        boolean loop = true;

        while (loop) {
            System.out.print("$ ");

            input = scanner.nextLine().trim();
            words = input.split(" ");
            command = words[0];
            arguments = Arrays.copyOfRange(words, 1, words.length);
            argumentString = String.join(" ", arguments);

            switch (command) {
                case "exit":
                    if (arguments.length > 0 && !arguments[0].isEmpty())
                        System.exit(Integer.parseInt(arguments[0]));
                    else
                        System.exit(0);
                    break;

                case "echo":
                    System.out.println(argumentString);
                    break;

                case "type":
                    System.out.println(getType(argumentString));
                    break;

                default:
                    System.out.println(input + ": command not found");
            }
        }
    }

    public static String getType(String argument) {
        String[] builtin_commands = {"exit", "echo", "type"};
        String path_commands = System.getenv("PATH");
        String[] path_command = path_commands.split(File.pathSeparator);

        for (String command : builtin_commands) {
            if (command.equals(argument)) {
                return argument + " is a shell builtin";
            }
        }

        for (String path: path_command) {
            File file = new File(path, argument);

            if (file.exists()) {
                return argument + " is " + file.getAbsolutePath();
            }
        }

        return argument + ": not found";
    }
}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![senevoldsen](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forum.codecrafters.io/senevoldsen/32/6460_2.png) [@senevoldsen](https://forum.codecrafters.io/u/senevoldsen)\
**Post date:** [June 29, 2025, 5:39pm UTC](https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/java-shell-type-command-returns-different-path-than-expected-during-testing/12811/3 "2025-06-29T17:39:32Z")

</div>

You are not checking that it is an executable file.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![PsyKnight](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/user_avatar/forum.codecrafters.io/psyknight/32/13696_2.png) [@PsyKnight](https://forum.codecrafters.io/u/PsyKnight)\
**Post date:** [June 30, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/java-shell-type-command-returns-different-path-than-expected-during-testing/12811/4 "2025-06-30T01:44:33Z")

</div>

Thank you, I got tunnel visioned on the error.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![system](https://canada1.discourse-cdn.com/flex003/uploads/codecrafters/original/3X/7/0/700657133935c15703e22c7c8870394f6e6dc27d.svg) [@system](https://forum.codecrafters.io/u/system)\
**Post date:** [July 5, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://forum.codecrafters.io/t/java-shell-type-command-returns-different-path-than-expected-during-testing/12811/5 "2025-07-05T01:44:36Z")

</div>

This topic was automatically closed 5 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.