# How to get Processing library path?

**URL:** <https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-get-processing-library-path/36707>\
**Category:** Beginners\
**Created:** [May 4, 2022, 7:03am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-get-processing-library-path/36707 "2022-05-04T07:03:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![bananana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@bananana](https://discourse.processing.org/u/bananana)\
**Post date:** [May 4, 2022, 7:03am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-get-processing-library-path/36707/1 "2022-05-04T07:03:08Z")

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As per the title, how can I get the path of the Processing libraries folder from within my Processing app. Is there some default variable?

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**Author:** ![NumericPrime](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/numericprime/32/16318_2.png) [@NumericPrime](https://discourse.processing.org/u/NumericPrime)\
**Post date:** [May 8, 2022, 2:25pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-get-processing-library-path/36707/2 "2022-05-08T14:25:00Z")

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If you know the path of the sketchbook you can go there and the libraries folder should be there.  
If you don’t know the location of the sketchbook you look it up at File-\> Settings at the very top.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chrisir](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/chrisir/32/45_2.png) [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)\
**Post date:** [May 9, 2022, 5:45am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-get-processing-library-path/36707/3 "2022-05-09T05:45:25Z")

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I don’t think you can receive this within your app/ Sketch. Why would you?  
Please explain

There is dataPath and sketchPath commands

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hyperion65](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/hyperion65/32/10569_2.png) [@Hyperion65](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Hyperion65)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2022, 8:32am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-get-processing-library-path/36707/4 "2022-05-10T08:32:44Z")

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isnt the library folder always supposed to be inside the sketchbook folder ?

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chrisir](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/chrisir/32/45_2.png) [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2022, 10:39am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-get-processing-library-path/36707/5 "2022-05-10T10:39:02Z")

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Good idea.

We could try a relative path from sktechPath("")

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![bananana](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/848f3c/32.png) [@bananana](https://discourse.processing.org/u/bananana)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2022, 11:00am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-get-processing-library-path/36707/6 "2022-05-10T11:00:55Z")

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> [@Hyperion65](#):
>
> isnt the library folder always supposed to be inside the sketchbook folder ?

It usually is, but not always.

Also,

> Blockquote

> [@](#):
>
> Why would you?  
> Please explain

I want to access some dll and dylib files in the libraries folder. To save the user from having to move these files around on their computer when they install the library.

I found a hacky solution

```auto
String res = System.getProperty("java.class.path");

```

Getting java.class.path then extracting out the libraries folder using string splitting.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Hyperion65](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/hyperion65/32/10569_2.png) [@Hyperion65](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Hyperion65)\
**Post date:** [May 10, 2022, 11:29am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/how-to-get-processing-library-path/36707/7 "2022-05-10T11:29:55Z")

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> [@bananana](#):
>
> It usually is, but not always.

Alright, you will know that 🙂 Never had the opportunity to put the lib folder elsewhere 🙂

As an aside: If you check for files in a folder, dont forget to look for the nasty invisible ones.  
On a Mac, there’s the file .DS\_Store for example.

Good luck