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Command Line Directory Switcher

If you want to switch between directories in the Windows command line you need to type in the path directly most of the time especially if the files are located on different partitions. The tab feature is great for completing a file or directory name but there is no option to switch directories fast.

Wherever Change Directory (WCD via Download Squad) is the name of a Windows script that is offering a way to change directories in the Windows command line blazingly fast. It indexes the directory structure of the computer system at first start of the application which takes a few seconds. After that it is possible to change directories with the command wcd directory, for example wcd desktop. The default search is to look for every directory name that begins with the search term that the user entered. Wildcards can be used to change that behavior.

WCD will display all directories with desktop in their name giving the user the option to pick one to change to. If only one directory with the name was found on the system WCD will immediately make the directory change.

Wherever Change Directory supports local directories, Windows LAN UNC paths, alias directories and subdirectories.

A user who has the intention to work regularly with the software program should either move it into a system path directory or add the new directory to the system path to be able to run wcd from every location and not only its source directory.

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About the Author:Martin Brinkmann is a journalist from Germany who founded Ghacks Technology News Back in 2005. He is passionate about all things tech and knows the Internet and computers like the back of his hand. You can follow Martin on Facebook or Twitter.

Author: , Thursday October 2, 2008 -
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Responses so far:

  1. WCS.Tony says:

    The easiest way to change directory in CMD is:
    1) Open up My Documents (or My Computer) and navigate to the required directory.
    2) Select the whole directory name in the Address bar and press CTRL+C (or COPY).
    3) In the CMD screen enter CD and a SPACE, right click and PASTE, then ENTER
    SIMPLE?

  2. Martin says:

    Tony, do me a favor and change from c:\windows to e:\downloads\apps\scripts\scripta, then to f:\backups\e\scripts\scriptb and back to c:\windows\

    That will take some time with your way. It’s ok for the occasional change but not if you change regularly.

  3. SQrL says:

    WCD is great… and if you want to copy the path you have just found to your clipboard you can just pipe the results using:

    cd | clip

    “clip” isn’t a native win32 dos command, but can be found here:
    http://www.petri.co.il/software/clip.zip
    you must copy the clip.exe file into windows\system32

  4. Lee Mathews says:

    Definitely a nice app. I included it in my post on DownloadSquad on October 1st.

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