Question

Is it possible to change the Windows command prompt working directory via Python script?

e.g.

>> cd >> c:\windows\system32 >> make_decision_change_dir.py >> cd >> c:\windows 

I have tried a few things which don’t work:

import os os.chdir(path) 

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import os, subprocess subprocess.Popen('chdir /D \'%s\'' %path, shell=True) 

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import os, subprocess subprocess.Popen('cd \'%s\'' %path, shell=True) 

---

import os, subprocess subprocess.Popen('CD=\'%s\'' %path, shell=True) 

As I understand it and observe these operations change the current processes working directory – which is the Python process and not the prompt its executing from.

Thanks.

UPDATE

The path I would want to change to is dynamic (based on what project I am working on, the full path to a build location changes) hence I wanted to code a solution in Python rather than hack around with a Windows batch file.

UPDATE

I ended up hacking a batch file together to do this ;( Thanks everyone.

Answer 1

I have a Python script to make moving around a file tree easier: xdir.py

Briefly, I have an xdir.py file, which writes Windows commands to stdout:

# Obviously, this should be more interesting.. import sys print 'cd', sys.argv[1] 

Then an xdir.cmd file:

@echo off python xdir.py %* >%TEMP%\__xdir.cmd call %TEMP%\__xdir.cmd 

Then I create a doskey alias:

doskey x=xdir.cmd $* 

The end result is that I can type

$ x subdir 

and change into subdir.

The script I linked to above does much more, including remembering history, maintaining a stack of directories, accepting shorthand for directories, and so on.