On the Windows commandline, how do I get a dynamic prompt that tells me where in the filesystem I am?

Question

I am trying to modify my CMD, to show only the current directory name dynamically, like:

Desktop $

When I switch the folder, it must be updated.

It is not required to be code in a pure batch file. It may depend on any external commands, Cygwin Bash, etc.

@echo off
set a=bash -c "pwd | sed 's,^\(.*/\)\?\([^/]*\),\2,'"
%a%
cmd

Outputs

_test-et
Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. Tüm hakları saklıdır.
>>

But

>> prompt %a%

gives

bash -c "pwd | sed 's,^\(.*/\)\?\([^/]*\),\2,'"

Answer 1

Using Microsoft's PowerShell, the prompt is produced by a function that can do anything at all.

A prompt function that does what you want is:

function prompt { (Split-Path -Leaf $pwd) + '$ ' }

For more information, see:

• Configure Windows PowerShell to display only the current folder name in the shell prompt
• PowerShell about Prompts
• Perfect Prompt for Windows PowerShell

Answer 2

I believe you can use the prompt command.

PROMPT [text]

  text    Specifies a new command prompt.

Prompt can be made up of normal characters and the following special codes:

  $A   & (Ampersand)
  $B   | (pipe)
  $C   ( (Left parenthesis)
  $D   Current date
  $E   Escape code (ASCII code 27)
  $F   ) (Right parenthesis)
  $G   > (greater-than sign)
  $H   Backspace (erases previous character)
  $L   < (less-than sign)
  $N   Current drive
  $P   Current drive and path
  $Q   = (equal sign)
  $S     (space)
  $T   Current time
  $V   Windows version number
  $_   Carriage return and linefeed
  $$   $ (dollar sign)

If Command Extensions are enabled the PROMPT command supports
the following additional formatting characters:

  $+   zero or more plus sign (+) characters depending upon the
       depth of the PUSHD directory stack, one character for each
       level pushed.

  $M   Displays the remote name associated with the current drive
       letter or the empty string if current drive is not a network
       drive.

---

Example:

setx PROMPT $P$S$$$S

Update

Create a batch file containing the code below and run.

@echo off

set root=%~p0
for %%F in ("%root%.") do set "ParentFolder=%%~nF"
setx PROMPT %ParentFolder%$S$F$S

Result is:

Answer 3

Based on the wikipedia entry for AUTOEXEC.BAT prompt $P$G will do what you want. This is a holdover from good old DOS. God only knows why something like this was never made a default since the early days of ... DOS3.3 or so.

Answer 4

I like knowing the full context of where I am in the console, but the deeper you go down the directory tree, the longer the "Current drive and path", so to have the best of both worlds, I have the full drive and path followed by a CR then a ">".

This is what I now do on all Windows machines I get access to:

SETX PROMPT "%username%@%computername% $P$_$G"

Which gives you a prompt showing the username, hostname, full path to the current folder, and a whole new line for typing:

USERNAME@HOSTNAME C:\PATH\TO\CURRENT\FOLDER
>

SETX stores the variable (in this case, "PROMPT") permanently (through reboots, until you change it).