To keep an electrode guide from interfering with an object such as a workpiece during the workpiece processing period, in the present invention, a path-generating device of an electrical discharge machine that is provided with an electrode guide for supporting a rod-shaped electrode is configured so as to be equipped with: a shape data-reading unit for reading the initial shape of the workpiece prior to processing and a target shape of the workpiece; an electrode-path-generating section or generating an electrode path for moving the electrode laterally on the basis of the target shape of the workpiece; and a guide path-generating section for generating an electrode guide path, which avoids interference between the electrode guide and the workpiece, on the basis of the initial shape of the workpiece.