How to set the current working directory?

Question

How to set the current working directory in Python?

score 927 · Accepted Answer · edited Feb 13 '13 at 10:43

927

os.chdir(path)
Change the current working directory to path. Availability: Unix, Windows.

edited Feb 13 '13 at 10:43

Alex L

answered Nov 27 '09 at 21:59

Mark Byers

7

Can you give me an example of format of the path? I am using os x; when I am trying to set a path I am getting an error - >>> import os >>> os.chdir(Users/Me/Desktop/M/PTS/Python/t1.py) File "", line 1 os.chdir(/Users/Me/Desktop/M/PTS/Python/t1.py) ^ SyntaxError: invalid syntax >>> – Pooja25 Nov 04 '15 at 20:48
4

@Pooja25 The path must be a string. in addition, chdir expects a directory name, but you are specifying a file. – mwil.me Jan 14 '16 at 01:25
16

I usually use `os.getcwd()` first, and that shows me the format of the accepted input for `os.chdir()`. – Rani Kheir Apr 21 '16 at 09:22

score 147 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 27 '09 at 22:00

147

Perhaps this is what you are looking for:

import os
os.chdir(default_path)

answered Nov 27 '09 at 22:00

unutbu

score 61 · Answer 3 · edited Oct 26 '18 at 07:36

61

import os
print os.getcwd()  # Prints the current working directory

To set the working directory:

os.chdir('c:\\Users\\uname\\desktop\\python')  # Provide the new path here

edited Oct 26 '18 at 07:36

Community

answered Jan 24 '16 at 03:41

dinesh

70

–1: This answer is not useful — *because it was already posted six years ago.* – jwodder Jan 24 '16 at 03:47
6

@cpb2 Semicolons at the end of a statement are not a syntax error in Python. You can even use them to put multiple statements on one line D-: But they are certainly very bad style. – Arthur Tacca Oct 27 '16 at 07:56
3

The `\u` in the string on the other hand *is* a syntax error; that should be `\\u`. – Arthur Tacca Oct 28 '16 at 13:28
2

@jwodder - I agree with you. OTOH, there are at least 24 people for which this was useful. Perhaps it was the fact that he covered ítems in the comments of the accepted answer: 1) format of explicit paths, 2) how to get examples of such (with `getcwd`).... remarkable. – sancho.s ReinstateMonicaCellio Jul 27 '17 at 07:42
1

You need double slashes for each directory level when dealing with Windows. – SDsolar Aug 02 '17 at 04:19

score 13 · Answer 4 · answered Aug 31 '17 at 07:14

13

It work for Mac also

import os
path="/Users/HOME/Desktop/Addl Work/TimeSeries-Done"
os.chdir(path)

To check working directory

os.getcwd()

answered Aug 31 '17 at 07:14

PritamJ

`Python` one of the core ideas of python is to work cross-plattform. – user1767754 Dec 20 '17 at 17:10
Thanks for this example, I was trying (the usual) ``"~/etc"`` without success. – PatrickT Apr 15 '18 at 09:52
2

@PatrickT if you want to expand `~`, you need to use `os.path.expanduser("~/etc")`, which will then expand to the full path (`/path/to/homedir/etc`) – Aaron D May 30 '18 at 13:29

score -10 · Answer 5 · edited Dec 22 '16 at 06:41

-10

people using pandas package

import os
import pandas as pd

tar = os.chdir('<dir path only>') # do not mention file name here
print os.getcwd()# to print the path name in CLI

the following syntax to be used to import the file in python CLI

dataset(*just a variable) = pd.read_csv('new.csv')

edited Dec 22 '16 at 06:41

Vikrant

answered Dec 22 '16 at 06:12

user3521180

3

Why is the `os.chdir` command different for panda usage? – user1767754 Dec 20 '17 at 17:09
If you need to read file, you don't need to change working directory. You can use absolute or relative path. You can use `os.path.dirname(__file__)` if you need to be relative to executed file for example – varela Aug 29 '18 at 10:19

5 Answers5