How do I find the current directory of a batch file and then use it for the path

Question

I have a batch file that I intend to distribute to our customers to run a software task    We distribute them as a folder or  zip with the files inside  Inside  there is the batch files and another folder with the files needed to run the batch   Normally  when you make a batch  you type the path where the files are  But I won t know where the files are  The files will still be kept inside the master folder  but I need to have the batch find that folder to run the files   So for example  If they have the master folder on the desktop and they run it  it would need to be something like  C  Users Username Desktop  to run  You would have the batch CD to that location    But what if they run it from documents  I don t know the username  so I have to somehow have the batch find this  Any code and or instructions would be great

User · Answer

ElektroStudios answer is a bit misleading.

"when you launch a bat file the working dir is the dir where it was launched" This is true if the user clicks on the batch file in the explorer.

However, if the script is called from another script using the CALL command, the current working directory does not change.

Thus, inside your script, it is better to use %~dp0subfolder\file1.txt

Please also note that %~dp0 will end with a backslash when the current script is not in the current working directory. Thus, if you need the directory name without a trailing backslash, you could use something like

call :GET_THIS_DIR
echo I am here: %THIS_DIR%
goto :EOF

:GET_THIS_DIR
pushd %~dp0
set THIS_DIR=%CD%
popd
goto :EOF

User · Answer

There is no need to know where the files are  because when you launch a bat file the working directory is the directory where it was launched  the  master folder    so if you have this structure     mydocuments folder mybat bat   mydocuments folder subfolder file txt   And the user starts the  mybat bat   the working directory is    mydocuments folder   so you only need to write the subfolder name in your script    Echo OFF REM Do anything with    Subfolder File1 txt  PUSHD    Subfolder  Type  File1 txt  Pause amp Exit   Anyway  the working directory is stored in the   CD   variable  and the directory where the bat was launched is stored on the argument 0  Then if you want to know the working directory on any computer you can do    Echo OFF Echo Launch dir     dp0  Echo Current dir    CD   Pause amp Exit

User · Answer

Try in yourbatch  set  batchisin   dp0    which should set the variable to your batch s location

User · Answer

You can also do    Pushd    dp0    Which also takes running from a unc path into consideration

[file] How do I find the current directory of a batch file, and then use it for the path?

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