Auto-detect batch file launch directory
If you use Batch Files to launch executable files, particularly installs, you might want to know about the string %~dp0, which Microsoft calls a modifier. This string acts like a variable and will expand to form the drive letter and path of the directory from which it is launched.
If you have a series of EXE files you want to launch, you can do this in many ways. I prefer to keep a single batch file in the same directory as the EXE and then use this to launch the EXE file. Then I can stack up as many of these as needed for a particular bulk install.
Getting back to the %~dp0 modifier. For example, to install the latest Adobe Reader silently, I use this syntax.
%~dp0AdbeRdr1001_en_US.exe /sAll /rs
exit
exit
The prefix string %~dp0 allows me to move the install directory containing the batch file and executable to any server without having to edit a path on the front of the EXE file name.
What do those five characters do exactly? Check out this page from Microsoft where it is all explained.
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