Get current folder path

I want to create a program that converts files. I would like the user to be able to place the executable file in any directory, and when executing that program (double-clicking on the .exe) I want the program to process all the files within the current folder where the exe file exists. How can the program determine the path in which it is currently executing?

I tried System.Windows.Forms.Application.StartupPath but that seems to be the wrong way.

Any ideas?

You should not use Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() in your case, as the current directory may differ from the execution folder, especially when you execute the program through a shortcut.

It's better to use Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location); for your purpose. This returns the pathname where the currently executing assembly resides.

While my suggested approach allows you to differentiate between the executing assembly, the entry assembly or any other loaded assembly, as Soner Gönül said in his answer,

System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.ExecutablePath);

may also be sufficient. This would be equal to

System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().Location);

System.AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory

This will give you running directory of your application. This even works for web applications. Afterwards you can reach your file.

I created a simple console application with the following code:

Console.WriteLine(System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location));
Console.WriteLine(System.AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory);
Console.WriteLine(System.Environment.CurrentDirectory);
Console.WriteLine(System.IO.Directory.GetCurrentDirectory());
Console.WriteLine(Environment.CurrentDirectory);

I copied the resulting executable to C:\temp2. I then placed a shortcut to that executable in C:\temp3, and ran it (once from the exe itself, and once from the shortcut). It gave the following outputs both times:

C:\temp2
C:\temp2\
C:\temp2
C:\temp2
C:\temp2

While I'm sure there must be some cockamamie reason to explain why there are five different methods that do virtually the exact same thing, I certainly don't know what it is. Nevertheless, it would appear that under most circumstances, you are free to choose whichever one you fancy.

UPDATE: I modified the Shortcut properties, changing the "Start In:" field to C:\temp3. This resulted in the following output:

C:\temp2
C:\temp2\
C:\temp3
C:\temp3
C:\temp3

...which demonstrates at least some of the distinctions between the different methods.

Try this:

System.Environment.CurrentDirectory

string appPath = System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.ExecutablePath);

From Path.GetDirectoryName

> Returns the directory information for the specified path string.

From Application.ExecutablePath

> Gets the path for the executable file that started the application, > including the executable name.

Use this,

var currentDirectory = System.IO.Directory.GetCurrentDirectory(); 

You can use this as well.

var currentDirectory = Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location);

for .NET CORE use System.AppContext.BaseDirectory

(as a replacement for AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory)

Directory.GetCurrentDirectory();

Thread.GetDomain().BaseDirectory

Environment.CurrentDirectory

This works best for me, especially when using dotnet core single file publish. Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Diagnostics.Process.GetCurrentProcess().MainModule.FileName).

Use Application.StartupPath for the best result imo.

If you want the exe path you can use System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().Location);

This block of code makes a path of your app directory in string type

string path="";
path=System.AppContext.BaseDirectory;

good luck