WD: WordBasic Macro to Obtain Current Directory Path

• Microsoft Word for Windows, versions 2.0, 2.0a, 2.0a-CD, 2.0b, 2.0c, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0c
• Microsoft Word for Windows NT, version 6.0
• Microsoft Word for Windows 95, versions 7.0, 7.0a

SUMMARY

In Microsoft Word, you can obtain the current directory by using a macro. The "More Information" section of this article discusses how to create this type of macro in WordBasic.

MORE INFORMATION

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Word for Windows Versions 6.x-7.x

The Microsoft WordBasic Files$() function can be used to return the current MS-DOS path. The Files$() function returns the first file matching the parameter FileSpec$. A single dot (.) is a special parameter that allows you to obtain the current directory path.

To obtain the current directory and store it in a variable CurrDir$, the following line can be used

   CurrDir$ = Files$(".")

   Sub MAIN
      CurDir$ = Files$(".")
      MsgBox CurDir$
   End Sub

   -or-

   Sub MAIN
      Directory$ = DefaultDir$(14)
      MsgBox Directory$
   End Sub

Word for Windows 2.x

The Files$(".") function in Word version 2.x for Windows returns the current MS-DOS path with a trailing backslash character (for example, C:\Winword\Docs\). To remove the trailing backslash character, use the Left$ string function, as in the following macro example:

   Sub MAIN
      Path$ = Files$(".")
      CurrentDirectory$ = Left$(Path$, Len(Path$)-1)
      MsgBox "The current directory is " + CurrentDirectory$
   End Sub

REFERENCES

For more information about working with the current directory in WordBasic macros, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

   ARTICLE-ID: Q88866
   TITLE     : Macro to Determine If a File Exists on a Disk

"Using WordBasic," by WexTech Systems and Microsoft, page 207