---
title: search path
card_id: 43051
---

### search path

Path that HyperCard follows through a volume and its folders to locate a given stack, document, or application; a kind of card in the Home stack that tracks such a path.

When you open a file from within HyperCard, HyperCard attempts to locate the stack, document, or application you want by searching the folders listed on the appropriate Search Paths card in the Home stack. Each line on the Search Paths card indicates the location of a folder, including the disk name (and folder and subfolder names, if any).  

Items in a search path are separated by a colon, like this: 

`my disk:HyperCard folder:my stacks:`

Normally, you don’t have to worry about the Search Paths cards. As you open files, HyperCard updates the search paths automatically. (You may want to remove old search paths periodically.)