Get-Location
SYNOPSIS
Gets information about the current working location or a location stack.
SYNTAX
Location (Default)
Get-Location [-PSProvider <String[]>] [-PSDrive <String[]>] [<CommonParameters>]
Stack
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
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
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
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
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
Gets the current location in the specified PowerShell drive.
For instance, if you are in the `Cert:` drive, you can use this parameter to find your current location in the `C:` drive.
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: Location
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-PSProvider
Gets the current location in the drive supported by the specified PowerShell provider. If the specified provider supports more than one drive, this cmdlet returns the location on the most recently accessed drive.
For example, if you are in the `C:` drive, you can use this parameter to find your current location in the drives of the PowerShell Registry provider.
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: Location
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
-Stack
Indicates that this cmdlet displays the locations added to the current location stack. You can add locations to stacks by using the `Push-Location` cmdlet.
To display the locations in a different location stack, use the StackName parameter. For information about location stacks, see the Notes (#notes).
Type: System.Management.Automation.SwitchParameter
Parameter Sets: Stack
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: False
Accept pipeline input: False
Accept wildcard characters: False
-StackName
Specifies, as a string array, the named location stacks. Enter one or more location stack names.
To display the locations in the current location stack, use the Stack parameter. To make a location stack the current location stack, use the `Set-Location` cmdlet.
This cmdlet cannot display the locations in the unnamed default stack unless it is the current stack.
Type: System.String[]
Parameter Sets: Stack
Aliases:
Required: False
Position: Named
Default value: None
Accept pipeline input: True (ByPropertyName)
Accept wildcard characters: False
CommonParameters
This cmdlet supports the common parameters: -Debug, -ErrorAction, -ErrorVariable, -InformationAction, -InformationVariable, -OutVariable, -OutBuffer, -PipelineVariable, -Verbose, -WarningAction, and -WarningVariable. For more information, see about_CommonParameters.
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 (../Microsoft.PowerShell.Core/About/about_Providers.md).
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 (`""`).