Get-Location

Syntax

Get-Location
   [-PSProvider <String[]>]
   [-PSDrive <String[]>]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Get-Location
   [-Stack]
   [-StackName <String[]>]
   [<CommonParameters>]

Description

The Get-Location cmdlet gets an object that represents the current directory, much like the print working directory (pwd) command.

When you move between PowerShell drives, PowerShell retains your location in each drive. You can use this cmdlet to find your location in each drive.

You can use this cmdlet to get the current directory at run time and use it in functions and scripts, such as in a function that displays the current directory in the PowerShell prompt.

You can also use this cmdlet to display the locations in a location stack. For more information, see the Notes and the descriptions of the Stack and StackName parameters.

Examples

Example 1: Display your current drive location

This command displays your location in the current PowerShell drive.

PS C:\Windows> Get-Location

Path
----
C:\Windows

For instance, if you are in the Windows directory of the C: drive, it displays the path to that directory.

Example 2: Display your current location for different drives

This example demonstrates the use of Get-Location to display your current location in different PowerShell drives. Set-Location is used to change the location to several different paths on different PSDrives.

PS C:\> Set-Location C:\Windows
PS C:\Windows> Set-Location HKLM:\Software\Microsoft
PS HKLM:\Software\Microsoft> Set-Location "HKCU:\Control Panel\Input Method"
PS HKCU:\Control Panel\Input Method> Get-Location -PSDrive C

Path
----
C:\Windows

PS HKCU:\Control Panel\Input Method> Get-Location -PSDrive HKLM

Path
----
HKLM:\Software\Microsoft

PS HKCU:\Control Panel\Input Method> Set-Location C:
PS C:\Windows> Get-Location -PSProvider Registry

Path
----
HKCU:\Control Panel\Input Method

Example 3: Get locations using stacks

This example shows how to use the Stack and StackName parameters of Get-Location to list the locations in the current location stack and alternate location stacks.

The Push-Location cmdlet is used to change into three different locations. The third push uses a different stack name. The Stack parameter of Get-Location displays the contents of the default stack. The StackName parameter of Get-Location displays the contents of the stack named Stack2.

PS C:\> Push-Location C:\Windows
PS C:\Windows>Push-Location System32
PS C:\Windows\System32>Push-Location WindowsPowerShell -StackName Stack2
C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell>Get-Location -Stack

Path
----
C:\Windows
C:\

C:\Windows\System32\WindowsPowerShell>Get-Location -StackName Stack2

Path
----
C:\Windows\System32

Example 4: Customize the PowerShell prompt

This example shows how to customize the PowerShell prompt.

PS C:\>
function prompt { 'PowerShell: ' + (Get-Location) + '> '}
PowerShell: C:\>

The function that defines the prompt includes a Get-Location command, which is run whenever the prompt appears in the console.

The format of the default PowerShell prompt is defined by a special function named prompt. You can change the prompt in your console by creating a new function named prompt.

To see the current prompt function, type the following command: Get-Content Function:\prompt

Parameters

-PSDrive

-PSProvider

-Stack

-StackName

Inputs

None

You cannot pipe input to this cmdlet.

Outputs

System.Management.Automation.PathInfo or System.Management.Automation.PathInfoStack

If you use the Stack or StackName parameters, this cmdlet returns a PathInfoStack object. Otherwise, it returns a PathInfo object.

Notes

PowerShell supports multiple runspaces per process. Each runspace has its own current directory. This is not the same as [System.Environment]::CurrentDirectory. This behavior can be an issue when calling .NET APIs or running native applications without providing explicit directory paths. The Get-Location cmdlet returns the current directory of the current PowerShell runspace.

This cmdlet is designed to work with the data exposed by any provider. To list the providers in your session, type Get-PSProvider. For more information, see about_Providers.

The ways that the PSProvider, PSDrive, Stack, and StackName parameters interact depends on the provider. Some combinations will result in errors, such as specifying both a drive and a provider that does not expose that drive. If no parameters are specified, this cmdlet returns the PathInfo object for the provider that contains the current working location.

A stack is a last-in, first-out list in which only the most recently added item is accessible. You add items to a stack in the order that you use them, and then retrieve them for use in the reverse order. PowerShell lets you store provider locations in location stacks. PowerShell creates an unnamed default location stack and you can create multiple named location stacks. If you do not specify a stack name, PowerShell uses the current location stack. By default, the unnamed default location is the current location stack, but you can use the Set-Location cmdlet to change the current location stack.

To manage location stacks, use the PowerShell *-Location cmdlets, as follows.

• To add a location to a location stack, use the Push-Location cmdlet.

• To get a location from a location stack, use the Pop-Location cmdlet.

• To display the locations in the current location stack, use the Stack parameter of the Get-Location cmdlet. To display the locations in a named location stack, use the StackName parameter of the Get-Location cmdlet.

• To create a new location stack, use the StackName parameter of the Push-Location cmdlet. If you specify a stack that does not exist, Push-Location creates the stack.

• To make a location stack the current location stack, use the StackName parameter of the Set-Location cmdlet.

The unnamed default location stack is fully accessible only when it is the current location stack. If you make a named location stack the current location stack, you can no longer use the Push-Location or Pop-Location cmdlets to add or get items from the default stack or use this cmdlet to display the locations in the unnamed stack. To make the unnamed stack the current stack, use the StackName parameter of the Set-Location cmdlet with a value of $null or an empty string ("").

Related Links

• Pop-Location
• Push-Location
• Set-Location