Script to detect current drive letter

[ramian]

Hi,

I'm currently using a batch file to run SUBST to load a program off my USB drive

SUBST Z: "G:\FolderName"
Z:\program.exe
SUBST Z: /D

However, since the USB drive letter changes when I plugin to different computers, I'm having to edit the batch file every single time. Is it possible to write a script/program/something which can detect the current drive letter (of the USB drive) that it is run from and pass this drive letter to the SUBST command to load a virtual drive off a folder on the USB drive?

I can't just run the program off the USB drive as the setting file it uses has hard-coded links.

I'd really appreciate it if someone could help me write up a quick program. A script would not be all that preferable as a lot of the computers that I use block the use of vbs scripts. Best would be something which can be compiled into an exe. I myself am vaguely familiar with AHK scripts but I can't seem to find a command to detect current drive letter in AHK. What scripting language should I be looking at then? C#? VB?

Thanks!

[rpgfan]

It has been a while since I've done any batch file creation, but perhaps you could make use of the %CD% variable? Its value is the current directory. That's my only idea honestly. I recommend putting it in quotes in case the directory has spaces in its name.

[jake1eye]

Try this VBS Script it should do what.

Save As SUBST.vbs

 Dim Act :Set Act = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
 Dim Fso :Set Fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
 Dim Target
 Dim D1, D2, D3
'/-> Set The Target Folder Path Without The Drive Letter
  Target = "FolderName"
   For Each D1 In Fso.Drives
	If D1.IsReady Then
'/-> Add The Drive Letter To Target
	 D2 = D1.DriveLetter & ":\"
	 D3 = D2 & Target
'/-> If Folder Found Run The Subst
	  If Fso.FolderExists(D3) Then
	   Act.Run(_
	   "%Comspec% /C @ECHO OFF && CLS && COLOR F9 && MODE 55,7 && " &_
	   "TITLE SUBST && Echo. && Echo Processing  SUBST cmd && " &_
	   "SUBST Z: " & Chr(34) & D3 & Chr(34) & " && Z:\program.exe && " &_
	   "SUBST Z: /D && Exit"),1,True 
	  End If
	End If 
   Next

[ramian]

Hi jake1eye,

Your script works beautifully. I also managed to figure out how to do the same thing in a batch file.

SUBST Z: "%~d0\FolderName"
Z:\program.exe
SUBST Z: /D

It seems to be a bit quicker than your vbs.

Now, if only there was a way of converting either the bat or the vbs file into an exe so that it would work on systems which block scripts from running. I know there any many pay/shareware programs available which claim to do this, but is there a free one that works?

Or can I do the same thing in VB?

Edit: the vbstoexe program available here works great. But bat 2 exe converter also available from there seems to process the whole bat file without waiting for the program to open and close (like how the bat and vbs files work).

I'd still like to be able to edit the icon of the exe file produced. So, I'd still like to know if this thing is possible in VB? I haven't touched VB for about 6 years and so am not sure if it'll work.

Thanks!

Edited December 15, 2007 by ramian

[jake1eye]

Myself if I want the script to act like a exe, I just use Winrar Sfx.

I added couple of lines to the original Vbs file so it runs from temp

after it has been extracted, fom the Sfx.

 Dim Act :Set Act = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
 Dim Fso :Set Fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
 Dim Target,Tmp
 Dim D1, D2, D3
'-> Set The Temp Loation For The Sile
 Tmp = Act.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("%Temp%")
'/-> Set The Target Folder Path Without The Drive Letter
  Target = "FolderName"
   For Each D1 In Fso.Drives
	If D1.IsReady Then
'/-> Add The Drive Letter To Target
	 D2 = D1.DriveLetter & ":\"
	 D3 = D2 & Target
'/-> If Folder Found Run The Subst
	  If Fso.FolderExists(D3) Then
	   Act.Run(_
	   "%Comspec% /C @ECHO OFF && CLS && COLOR F9 && MODE 55,7 && " &_
	   "TITLE SUBST && Echo. && Echo Processing  SUBST cmd && " &_
	   "SUBST Z: " & Chr(34) & D3 & Chr(34) & " && Z:\program.exe && " &_
	   "SUBST Z: /D && Exit"),1,True 
	  End If
	End If 
   Next
'/-> Delete The File 
  Fso.DeleteFile(WScript.ScriptFullName)

This a Link to my custom Winrar Sfx with the above code changes

Subst Sfx

[kparrent]

Myself if I want the script to act like a exe, I just use Winrar Sfx.

I added couple of lines to the original Vbs file so it runs from temp

after it has been extracted, fom the Sfx.

This a Link to my custom Winrar Sfx with the above code changes

Subst Sfx

Hi everyone,

I know this post is a few months later, but I really need a fast response. I'm doing the same thing as ramian except with a DVD, so it should be the exact same idea. I am fairly new to programming but am very computer literate. Anyway, I am creating DVDs to sell with videos on them, and a PDF file with links to open the videos. The guide will be in the root directory and the videos will be in a folder named "videos". I didn't think this would be necessary to do since the PDF was on the same drive as the videos, but Adobe 6.0 doesn't let you create relative links, only absolute ones.

So anyway, I am going to make an autorun file that will execute these scripts and assign a drive letter such as Z, and then I can hopefully get Adobe to do that, which it should. I tried copying and pasting these scripts into notepad, saving them with the .vbs or .bat file extensions and adjusting them accordingly, but I was unsuccessful. I had it working once, but then it stopped? When I executed the scripts, it would either continuously open new windows until I deleted the file, freeze and say "loading subst", or the cursor would load and nothing would come up (as desired), but the new drive letter wouldn't be in My Computer. I did much better with the vbs than bat. Here is what I tried with the provided scripts:

Dim Act :Set Act = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

Dim Fso :Set Fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

Dim Target

Dim D1, D2, D3

'/-> Set The Target Folder Path Without The Drive Letter

Target = "Videos"

For Each D1 In Fso.Drives

If D1.IsReady Then

'/-> Add The Drive Letter To Target

D2 = D1.DriveLetter & ":\"

D3 = D2 & Target

'/-> If Folder Found Run The Subst

If Fso.FolderExists(D3) Then

Act.Run(_

"%Comspec% /C @ECHO OFF && CLS && COLOR F9 && MODE 55,7 && " &_

"TITLE SUBST && Echo. && Echo Processing SUBST cmd && " &_

"SUBST Q: " & Chr(34) & D3 & Chr(34) & " && Q:\readme.txt && " &_

"SUBST Q: /D && Exit"),1,True

End If

End If

Next

I was hoping to have the virtual drive assigned and stay assigned until the computer is off, and then also have the readme.txt pop up. What am I doing wrong? Need help fast. Thanks!

Kris

[kparrent]

Nevermind... don't name your batch file subst.bat and it works great! lol