How to get application folder when program is started by Windows Task Scheduler

Question

I have a console app in c# thats starts on schuled times by the Windows task scheduler. The app needs some physical files from its own directory and uses System.IO.Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() for that.

Normal when I start the console app myself, it works perfectly. But when it is started by Windows Task Scheduler, it returns C:\Windows\System32.

Why is this not the application directory and is there another way how I can get the application directory?

score 36 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 29 '11 at 15:32

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Path.GetDirectoryName(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location);

System.IO.Directory.GetCurrentDirectory() will return the current directory of the executing process which is not your application in this instance. The above will suffice in getting the execution directory your executable is running in.

answered Nov 29 '11 at 15:32

Aaron McIver

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On second thought is your answer better, since you give me the directory, and thats what i asked for. Rest gives me paths to the assembly file. – Erik Dekker Nov 30 '11 at 13:46
@Erik: Do you need directory name only or full path? – abatishchev Nov 30 '11 at 14:33
@abatishchev: Well the last line in my question was: "how I can get the application directory", I need the full path to the application directory. Your answer is good, but it did not give me the directory, it gave me the assembly file. – Erik Dekker Nov 30 '11 at 15:42

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 29 '11 at 15:33

GetCurrentDirectory returns that directory because when the scheduler starts an application by default. If you want to know the directory that your binary is in, you can use

Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location

I would also be curious to know if you have a "Start In" directory set in your scheduled task - setting that should also set the current directory of the application when it starts.

score 5 · Answer 3 · answered Mar 04 '16 at 21:32

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Its an old thread, but for someone looking, while setting up the task, you can assign the location in the Action of the task, by setting the optional :Start in" value to your exe folder. GetCurrentDirectory will work fine then.

answered Mar 04 '16 at 21:32

Ratan

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Easy simple and direct. Thanks – Warren LaFrance Feb 08 '21 at 20:59

score 3 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:10

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Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location

See also GetCallingAssembly() and GetEntryAssembly().

And What is the best way to determine application root directory?

edited May 23 '17 at 12:10

Community

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answered Nov 29 '11 at 15:30

abatishchev

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score 1 · Answer 5 · edited Jan 28 '13 at 06:35

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I use My.Application.Info.DirectoryPath is point to the correct directory what you want within Windows task scheduler.

edited Jan 28 '13 at 06:35

NoNaMe

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answered Jan 28 '13 at 06:10

Owen

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score 1 · Answer 6 · answered May 24 '17 at 18:49

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AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory Will get the directory if you want to use files relative to the install directory.

Also see Best way to get application folder path

answered May 24 '17 at 18:49

Alexander

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score 1 · Answer 7 · answered Nov 29 '11 at 15:32

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Can you try what this returns ?

System.IO.Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.ExecutablePath)

answered Nov 29 '11 at 15:32

Shyju

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How to get application folder when program is started by Windows Task Scheduler

7 Answers7