Windows Batch Script Get Current Drive name

Question

I have a batch file which is on a usb key. I need to know the drive name the batch is in.

Example, if it\'s E:\\mybatch.bat it should find E:\\ same thing for F:\\, G:\\

Answer 1

Beware

The existing answers to this question don't acknowledge that the question is actually asking about two different things:

1. the drive of the current working directory (“Get Current Drive name”); and
2. the drive of the batch file (“I need to know the drive name the batch is in”).

These can be different when the batch file is started from a working directory other than its residing location. Readers should therefore be clear on the difference before determining which solution is relevant to their case.

Drive of the current working directory

%CD:~0,2%

This takes the full current working directory and trims it down to the first two characters, which will be a drive letter and a colon, e.g. C:.

Drive of the batch file itself

%~d0

This trims the full path of the batch file (in %0) to just a drive letter and a colon, e.g. C:.

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(this is an expanded version of my rejected edit to Kai K's answer)

Answer 2

M$ documentation "Using batch parameters" says:

Modifier: %~d0

Description: Expands %0 to a drive letter.

Answer 3

Thanks Very Much @Sparky3489, if I have just one USB Flash Drive, I put this within your Algorithm, Right After the

echo %%i is a USB drive.
Set FlashDrive=%%I

I also changed the Wording of the Identifier to

Echo %%i is a USB Flash Drive~!

Then, After, {and Outside} the Algorithm, I can add the Flash Drive Path such as...

Set FlashPath=%FlashDrive%\Users\Public\Documents

Then by setting up other Paths Such as

Set SourcePath=C:\Users\Public\Documents

I can make an Batch File BackUp For the Flash Drive, (can be Called Via Windows Short-Cut with an Associated Icon in your Quick Launch Window ~ Search "Quick Launch", if in Doubt to what I'm Talking About).

Rem  * * * * * * * * * Start Batch File * * * * * * * * * *
@Echo OFF
cls
Echo FlashDrive UpDater for
Echo.
Echo Excel, Word ...
Echo * * * * * * * * * ~ Excel SpreadSheets ~ * * * * * * * * *
XCopy /D /I /V /Y /U /S "%SourcePath%\Excel Documents\*.*" "%FlashPath%\Excel Documents\"
Echo * * * * * * * * * ~ Word Documents ~ * * * * * * * * *
XCopy /D /I /V /Y /U /S "%SourcePath%\Word Documents\*.*" "%FlashPath%\Word Documents\"
Echo.
Echo.
Echo FlashDrive = %FlashDrive%
Echo FlashPath = %FlashPath%
Echo.
Echo * Bonus Switch Info * * * * *
Echo * XCopy Switch  /D ~ Copies Files Changed On or After the Specified Date.
Echo *          {If no Date is Given, Copies only those Files whose
Echo *          Source Time is Newer than the Destination Time}.
Echo * XCopy Switch  /I ~ Copies More than One File to Destination (Assumes Destination is a Directory)
Echo * XCopy Switch  /S ~ Copies Directories and Subdirectories Except Empty Ones
Echo * XCopy Switch  /V ~ Verifies Each New File.
Echo * XCopy Switch  /U ~ Copies only Files that Already Exist in Destination.
Echo * XCopy Switch  /Y ~ Suppresses Prompting to Confirm You Want to Overwrite an Existing Destination File.
Echo.
Rem for More Info on XCopy Switches GoTo http://support.microsoft.com/kb/128756
Echo Directory Path = %~DP0
Echo.
Echo * Batch File Name = %0 *
Echo.
Rem Echo %CD:~0,2%, {Returns "Drive Letter & Colon"}
Rem Echo %CD:~0,3%, {Returns "Drive Letter & Colon & BackSlash"}
Pause
cls
Pause
Exit
Rem  * * * * * * * * * End Batch File * * * * * * * * * *

Answer 4

If run from inside a .CMD/.BAT file, you can use %~dp0 to get the current/working directory. This one is a little safer as it is aware of UNC paths and such. Reference for the syntax of that variable is available here.

Answer 5

%CD:~0,2%

This will give you the current drive in the format C: , i.e. first 2 chars from the current working directory

C:\Users\ashish>ECHO %CD:~0,2%
C:

D:\projects>ECHO %CD:~0,2%
D:

D:\projects>ECHO %CD%
D:\projects

Answer 6

Like others have said %~d0

There's no point in going over that again, but if you have stumbled into this thread then this will cd to the directory of the batch file.

@echo off
set "fullDir=C:\Program Files"
cd /d %fullDir%                                &rem changes to the full directory 'C:\Program Files'.
echo You're now cd' in the '%cd%' directory.
pause

Also if you want to run a batch file from another drive such as Z: then this one will do that.

cd /d %~d0                                     &rem Changes to the current directory
echo You're now cd' in the '%cd%' directory.   &rem This is now your full path of the batch file cd' into.
pause