Get path to execution directory of Windows Forms application

Question

I would like to get the path to the execution directory of a Windows Forms application. (That is, the directory in which the executable is located.)

Does anyone know of a built-in method in .NET to do this?

Does this answer your question? [Best way to get application folder path](https://stackoverflow.com/questions/6041332/best-way-to-get-application-folder-path) — Michael Freidgeim, Oct 01 '20 at 02:24

Tomas Pajonk · Answer 1 · 2010-04-21T09:41:25.630

68

In VB.NET

Dim directory as String = My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath

In C#

string directory = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory;

edited Apr 21 '10 at 09:41

answered Nov 17 '08 at 14:36

Tomas Pajonk

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The C# location will also work in VB or other languages that don't support the "My" namepsace. – Joel Coehoorn Nov 17 '08 at 14:53
@Tomas Pajonk, may I suggest changing the c# "FileName" variable to "directory"? – grenade Apr 21 '10 at 09:32

score 59 · Accepted Answer · edited Jun 20 '16 at 22:27

59

Application.Current results in an appdomain http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.appdomain_members.aspx

Also this should give you the location of the assembly

AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory

I seem to recall there being multiple ways of getting the location of the application. but this one worked for me in the past atleast (it's been a while since i've done winforms programming :/)

edited Jun 20 '16 at 22:27

Luke

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answered Nov 17 '08 at 14:41

thmsn

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It should be Application.CurrentDomain. – Max Apr 20 '11 at 15:08
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This did not appear to work in .NET 4.0, but Application.UserAppDataPath did work. – criticalfix Feb 20 '14 at 14:22
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AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory – A Khudairy Jan 19 '16 at 08:17

score 19 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 17 '08 at 14:36

19

This could help;

Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.ExecutablePath);

also here is the reference

answered Nov 17 '08 at 14:36

Ali Ersöz

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score 9 · Answer 4 · edited Sep 04 '12 at 17:53

9

System.Windows.Forms.Application.StartupPath will solve your problem, I think

edited Sep 04 '12 at 17:53

Gonzalo.-

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answered Dec 01 '08 at 09:48

score 2 · Answer 5 · edited Oct 07 '14 at 06:12

2

Both of the examples are in VB.NET.

Debug path:

TextBox1.Text = My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath

EXE path:

TextBox2.Text = IO.Path.GetFullPath(Application.ExecutablePath)

edited Oct 07 '14 at 06:12

Alex

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answered Oct 07 '14 at 05:14

али

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score 1 · Answer 6 · answered Nov 17 '08 at 14:50

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string apppath = 
    (new System.IO.FileInfo
    (System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().CodeBase)).DirectoryName;

answered Nov 17 '08 at 14:50

MusiGenesis

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Sorry, the Assembly namespace and the code display panel do not play nicely together. I hate scrollbars. – MusiGenesis Nov 17 '08 at 14:51

score 1 · Answer 7 · edited Nov 27 '18 at 06:53

1

Check this out:

Imports System.IO
Imports System.Management

Public Class Form1
        Private Sub Button1_Click(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles Button1.Click
        TextBox1.Text = Path.GetFullPath(Application.ExecutablePath)
        Process.Start(TextBox1.Text)
    End Sub
End Class

edited Nov 27 '18 at 06:53

Jimi

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answered Nov 29 '11 at 07:20

sandeep k

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score 0 · Answer 8 · edited Nov 27 '18 at 06:51

0

Private Sub Main_Shown(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Shown
    Dim args() As String = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()
    If args.Length > 0 Then
        TextBox1.Text = Path.GetFullPath(Application.ExecutablePath)
        Process.Start(TextBox1.Text)   
    End If
End Sub

edited Nov 27 '18 at 06:51

Jimi

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answered Aug 09 '17 at 13:39

vignesh pethaperumal

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Get path to execution directory of Windows Forms application

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