CD command

[reinaker]

I am using the MS version XP, how do I return to a previous directory?

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Welcome to ComputerHope, Reinaker.

I don't quite understand your queston. By returning to the previous directory, do you mean this:

CD = C:\windows\system32\
and change it to
C:\windows\

Is that what you mean?

[contrex]

CD command syntax:

CD (alone) displays current directory

CD Drive: displays current directory on Drive:

CD directory changes to that directory

CD /D (directory) changes to that directory and changes drive to drive letter D

CD.. change to parent directory

That's it. No change to "previous directory".

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

You could adapt this code:

Code: [Select]

echo. %cd:~10,0%

[contrex]

What's that meant to do?

Why the period after the echo?

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

type that in command prompt and press enter.
I have a habit of putting periods after 'echo'. Still works the same as 'echo '

[contrex]

Code: [Select]

C:\>echo %cd:~20,0%
ECHO is on.

ie %cd~20,0% expands to... nothing.

[WillyW]

What's that meant to do?

Why the period after the echo?

echo.      prints a blank line to the screen.

What it would do in his example, ... I really don't know.  I'd have to try it and see.
Maybe it is just a typo.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

echo hello
works just the same as
echo.hello
Maybe it just works on XP or something, i dunno.

I just realised reinaker is not a member anymore. Wonder what happened.....

[WillyW]

I am using the MS version XP, how do I return to a previous directory?

By any chance,  is this a repetitive thing?    In that you don't want to have to type out the whole path each time you wish to return to a certain directory, and whatever you are doing necessitates a lot of dir changing?

If so,  there is a way to get around that.

Check out:
http://www.computerhope.com/doskeyhl.htm

[contrex]

echo.      prints a blank line to the screen.

Yes I did know that. 

[contrex]

so, dudeoxide, what's with this echo %cd:~20,0% thing? What does it do?

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

example:
echo %cd%  --> c:\documents and settings\user
echo %cd:~20,0% --> C:\documents and set

does that explain it? Basically gets rid of 20 letters at the end of the command...

[contrex]

Basically gets rid of 20 letters at the end of the command...

I knew it did that. I do understand about string slicing. I meant what is the purpose of it. As in, what has it got to do with the question the guy asked.

(Sorry, am I being dumb here?)

[WillyW]

echo.      prints a blank line to the screen.

Yes I did know that. 

and yet you asked anyway?        .... odd.

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

he can use that to cd to his previous location.

[contrex]

echo.      prints a blank line to the screen.

Yes I did know that. 

and yet you asked anyway?        .... odd.

Maybe English is not your first language? I meant, "What is the reason why you have put a period after the echo command?", not "What does a period do after an echo command?"

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

Lol, what does it matter.
I find it easier for me to use 'echo. text' than 'echo  text'
You dont have to use the period for %cd:~20,0% but i did coz i could......

[contrex]

he can use that to cd to his previous location.

Oh right. So I'm in D:\My Folders\*censored*\Mom don't look in here\Babes\Redheads and I

type CD d:\

So now I'm in d:\

I type your command and it cuts the last 20 characters off the directory name, which is actually 3 characters long, so I end up with an empty string, which ECHO interprets as a request to show ECHO status, so it says "ECHO is on", and that gets me back to my previous folder? Is that how it works?

That's a real clever DOS tip, dudeoxide! i would nevah have thunk of that all on my lonesome!

[Carbon Dudeoxide]

well then you change 20 to a number that suits you.

[contrex]

It's only useful if "where you were before" is  a parent folder of where you are now. typing cd.. (enter) and then repeatedly recalling it with the up arrow would do the same thing.

[GuruGary]

Reinaker: You can use PUSHD and POPD.

For example, if you start off in
Contrex's directory of
D:\My Folders\*censored*\Mom
And you want to go to the directory D:\Foo, you could use the command

Code: [Select]

pushd \FooThen to get back to the previous directory do

Code: [Select]

popdOr if you wanted to go to C:\Documents and Settings you could use the command

Code: [Select]

pushd "C:\Documents and Settings"Then to get back to the previous directory do

Code: [Select]

popd
Another tip ... if you are writing a batch file that changes directories and it ends up leaving you in a directory used by the batch file instead of the original, you can use the SETLOCAL command.  Example:

Code: [Select]

@echo off
setlocal
cd \Temp
ren *.new *.oldIn this example the batch file would leave you in whatever directory you started in.  Without the SETLOCAL command, the batch file would leave you in \Temp.