Beginning
The concept is to save a folder (current directory) to an environment variable
and then switch to that folder whenever it is needed. The command to save a folder
is called SavePath (whether .cmd or .exe) and the command to switch back to that
folder is called Return.
First Step
Decide where you will be placing the files. In the finished project, the folder
for the executables will be C:\Program Files (x86)\SavePathAndReturn. You can of
course, place them anywhere in the %PATH% variable for convienent use. If you decide
to put them in Program Files x86 folder, then you will need administrator rights to
do so. This is only for saving the files. To update the %PATH% variable, type in the
following two commands:
Set "Path=%PATH%;C:\Program Files (x86)\SavePathAndReturn"
Setx Path "%PATH%;C:\Program Files (x86)\SavePathAndReturn"
Running the Demo
Switch to a folder in the path if necessary. Then type in the following:
Copy Con SavePath.cmd and press Enter.
This will bring you into the internal editor. Type the following
command on the current line:
Set "ReturnSlot=%cd%" and press Enter.
Then press the F6 key (or you can press Control-Z) to save and close the editor.
Now type in the following:
Copy Con Return.cmd and press Enter.
Then type in the following on the current line:
cd /D %ReturnSlot% and press Enter to save and close the editor.
SavePath and press Enter.
Now navigate away from that folder. When you want to switch back to the folder
that you just saved, type in
Return and press Enter.
The program will take you back to the folder that you just saved.Next Steps
This simplified program demonstrates how to navigate the directory tree quickly.