use cmd.exe to change directory and run command in that directory

Question

All I want to do is:

change to specific directory of a different drive
run a command in that directory e.g. dir

I need to do this in one line using cmd.exe starting from a different drive

I would do this like this:

c:
cd temp
dir

so in one statement so far I have:

cmd /c c: & cd\temp & dir

But this just gives me dir for the P: directory which I start from. How can I get dir returned from c:\temp?

I can't run a batch file and it must be in a one-line statement.

Christian.K · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-11T17:32:58.197

51

You may want to invoke CD with the /d option, thus not only changing the current directory on drive c: but also going there (in case you are not already on that drive).

 cmd /c "cd /d c:\temp && dir"

edited May 11 '12 at 17:32

answered May 11 '12 at 14:39

Christian.K

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Gratzy · Answer 2 · 2012-05-11T14:40:39.863

5

you use && or & to separate multiple commands

if the cmd window is already opened and running from command line

 c: && cd\temp && dir

or

cmd /c && c: && cd\temp && dir

edited May 11 '12 at 14:40

answered May 11 '12 at 14:00

Gratzy

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& and && both allow multiple commands, but for && runs the seconds only if first is successful – Stagg May 11 '12 at 14:23
Are you simply running this from a command line or are you spawning the cmd.exe process from some other app? Because both & and && worked for me – Gratzy May 11 '12 at 14:25
I'm testing on the command line but going to run it in c# app. Note that I also need to change to a different drive as well e.g starting drive is P: and the cmd line needs to change to C: – Stagg May 11 '12 at 14:33
if you are already at the command prompt get rid of the "cmd /c " – Gratzy May 11 '12 at 14:38
it's got to work in c# app too so I'm using that to run the cmd /c – Stagg May 11 '12 at 14:39

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered May 11 '12 at 13:46

2

You want quotes around that command line:

cmd /c "cd c:/ & dir"

answered May 11 '12 at 13:46

Kilian Foth

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that still returns dir from the P drive – Stagg May 11 '12 at 13:58
1

This answer adds something useful. You need the quotes around your command, else each action will be executed independently. As Stagg says, you might want to add the /d option to change drives, though – JACH Mar 12 '19 at 06:02
The quotes tip here is what solved my issue – Alejandro B. May 31 '23 at 07:57

use cmd.exe to change directory and run command in that directory

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