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  3. how to know the exact path from where a program starts ?

how to know the exact path from where a program starts ?

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  • G Guy Lecomte

    Hello I need in my project to know the file location of the runnig program, from within this program. In clear words, the path where the EXE files starts. How to do it in VC++ (if I remember there is something like app.path in VB) I've looked the CWinApp class without rigth answer.:(( Can anybody do something nice fo me ?:-D regards Guy LECOMTE

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    jerry0davis
    wrote on last edited by
    #7

    Err why not just use __argv[0] ??? Am I missing something?

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    • J jerry0davis

      Err why not just use __argv[0] ??? Am I missing something?

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      Alvaro Mendez
      wrote on last edited by
      #8

      If I remember correctly, __argv[0] only gives you the program's whole path when you explicitly run it with it. For example, if I'm at the command prompt and say: c:\abc\def>c:\xyz\opq\myProg.exe __arg[0] will be equal to "c:\xyz\opq\myProg.exe" But if I just say c:\xyz\opt>myProg.exe __arg[0] will be equal to "myProg.exe" Regards, Alvaro

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      • M Matt Gullett

        char szAppName[2000]; memset(szAppName, 0, 2000); ::GetModuleFileName(AfxGetInstanceHandle(), szAppName, 2000);

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        John Fisher
        wrote on last edited by
        #9

        If you aren't using MFC, replace "AfxGetInstanceHandle()" with "GetModuleHandle(NULL)". John

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        • A Alvaro Mendez

          If I remember correctly, __argv[0] only gives you the program's whole path when you explicitly run it with it. For example, if I'm at the command prompt and say: c:\abc\def>c:\xyz\opq\myProg.exe __arg[0] will be equal to "c:\xyz\opq\myProg.exe" But if I just say c:\xyz\opt>myProg.exe __arg[0] will be equal to "myProg.exe" Regards, Alvaro

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          Pavlos Touboulidis
          wrote on last edited by
          #10

          Nop, Jeremy's right. Just create a new MFC Dialog app and try this: BOOL CMFCTestApp::InitInstance() { AfxMessageBox(__argv[0]); return(FALSE);

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          • P Pavlos Touboulidis

            Nop, Jeremy's right. Just create a new MFC Dialog app and try this: BOOL CMFCTestApp::InitInstance() { AfxMessageBox(__argv[0]); return(FALSE);

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            Tim Ranker
            wrote on last edited by
            #11

            Nope. Alvaro is 100% correct. argv[0] is the name by which the program was invoked. Need proof? 1. Bring up a command window. 2. Change directory to the directory where the app is located. 3. Launch the app by typing just <appname>. _argv[0] will only be <appname> and not the full app path. Kind regards, Tim

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            • T Tim Ranker

              Nope. Alvaro is 100% correct. argv[0] is the name by which the program was invoked. Need proof? 1. Bring up a command window. 2. Change directory to the directory where the app is located. 3. Launch the app by typing just <appname>. _argv[0] will only be <appname> and not the full app path. Kind regards, Tim

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              Pavlos Touboulidis
              wrote on last edited by
              #12

              OK! Something is wrong here! These links target to 3 small gif files, which open new browser windows. Image1 Image2 Image3 It seems to be working for me, as it always did. Including console apps, and DOS apps. :confused:

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              • P Pavlos Touboulidis

                OK! Something is wrong here! These links target to 3 small gif files, which open new browser windows. Image1 Image2 Image3 It seems to be working for me, as it always did. Including console apps, and DOS apps. :confused:

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                Tim Ranker
                wrote on last edited by
                #13

                Hello Pavlos, All my previous tests were done using Windows NT 4 or Windows 2000. After running the app on a 9X machine, I get the same results you did. Apparently 9X returns the whole pathname regardless of where it is launched, NT does not. FYI, Solaris behaves the same way as NT. Even the prestigious book "The C Programming Language" by Brian W Kernighan and Dennis M Ritchie state the following: "By convention, argv[0] is the name by which the program was invoked,..." Therefore, it looks like using GetModuleFileName() and stripping off the filename(_splitpath) is the safest way to get the location of the exe. Another way to do all of this assuming the application is using a logo compliant installer is to check the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\<YourAppName>.exe Value name: Path The "Path" value name should contain the path of where the app is installed. Kind regards, Tim

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                • T Tim Ranker

                  Hello Pavlos, All my previous tests were done using Windows NT 4 or Windows 2000. After running the app on a 9X machine, I get the same results you did. Apparently 9X returns the whole pathname regardless of where it is launched, NT does not. FYI, Solaris behaves the same way as NT. Even the prestigious book "The C Programming Language" by Brian W Kernighan and Dennis M Ritchie state the following: "By convention, argv[0] is the name by which the program was invoked,..." Therefore, it looks like using GetModuleFileName() and stripping off the filename(_splitpath) is the safest way to get the location of the exe. Another way to do all of this assuming the application is using a logo compliant installer is to check the registry under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\<YourAppName>.exe Value name: Path The "Path" value name should contain the path of where the app is installed. Kind regards, Tim

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                  Gennady Oster
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #14

                  Hi, Tim! Maybe you know also how to correctly split the UNC? _tsplitpath for UNC returns empty drive, interpreting the server and the share parts as directories. Regards, Gennady P.S. After posting this message I've found here on the CP site the article introducing simple CSplitPath class. The small addition enables you to split UNC too. Gennady

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                  • G Guy Lecomte

                    Hello I need in my project to know the file location of the runnig program, from within this program. In clear words, the path where the EXE files starts. How to do it in VC++ (if I remember there is something like app.path in VB) I've looked the CWinApp class without rigth answer.:(( Can anybody do something nice fo me ?:-D regards Guy LECOMTE

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                    L Offline
                    leo 0
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #15

                    CWinApp::m_pszHelpFilePath will also give the application path, just remove the helpfile name. (i.e. unless you have specifically changed the default) e.g. BOOL CYourApp::InitInstance() { CString sHelpFile = m_pszHelpFilePath; int t = sHelpFile.ReverseFind('\\'); CString sAppPath= sHelpFile.Left(t+1); Regards Leo

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                    • G Guy Lecomte

                      Hello I need in my project to know the file location of the runnig program, from within this program. In clear words, the path where the EXE files starts. How to do it in VC++ (if I remember there is something like app.path in VB) I've looked the CWinApp class without rigth answer.:(( Can anybody do something nice fo me ?:-D regards Guy LECOMTE

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                      Lost User
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #16

                      Use the API function - GetModuleFileName.

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