Directory Names in Batch

Question

How can I store a directory name in a variable inside batch file??

Answer 1

set dirname=c:/some/folder

echo %dirname%

REM retrieve the last letter of the folder 
REM and save it in another variable

set lastLetter=%dirname:~-1%

echo %lastLetter%

Answer 2

To return the directory where the batch file is stored use %~dp0

%0 is the full path of the batch file,

set src= %~dp0
echo %src%

I've used this one when I expect certain files relative to my batch file.

Answer 3

Without more precisions it's difficult to help you...

Maybe you want the current directory?

set name=%CD%
echo %name%

Answer 4

Use the set command.

Example:

rem Assign the folder "C:\Folder1\Folder2" to the variable "MySavedFolder"
set MySavedFolder=C:\Folder1\Folder2

rem Run the program "MyProgram.exe" that is located in Folder2
 %MySavedFolder%\MyProgram.exe
rem Run the program "My Second Program.exe" that is located in Folder 2 (note spaces in filename)
"%MySavedFolder%\My Second Program.exe"
rem Quotes are required to stop the spaces from being command-line delimiters, but the command interpreter (cmd.exe) will still substitute the value of the variable.

To remove the variable, assign nothing to the name:

set MySavedFolder=

Since you are inside a batch file, I suggest surrounding your variable usage with setlocal and endlocal at the end of the file; this makes your environment variables local to the batch file and doesn't pollute the global environment namespace.

Answer 5

To allow a script to determine its parent folder directory name:

@echo off
::setlocal enableextensions,enabledelayedexpansion
SET CDIR=%~p0
SET CDIR=%CDIR:\= %
FOR %%a IN (%CDIR%) DO (
  SET CNAME=%%a
)
echo %CDIR%
echo %CNAME%
pause

Or, better yet:

@echo off
::setlocal enableextensions,enabledelayedexpansion
SET CDIR=%~p0
SET CDIR=%CDIR:~1,-1%
SET CDIR=%CDIR:\=,%
SET CDIR=%CDIR: =_%
FOR %%a IN (%CDIR%) DO SET "CNAME=%%a"
echo %CDIR%
SET CNAME=%CNAME:_= %
echo %CNAME%
pause