Microsoft KB Archive/78670

= Startup Directory Option Ignored in MS-DOS Shell =

Article ID: 78670

Article Last Modified on 10/13/2003

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0 Standard Edition
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 5.0a
 * Microsoft MS-DOS 6.0 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q78670



SUMMARY
In MS-DOS 5.0 and Shell, it is possible for the startup directory option to be ignored when a program item is started from the Active Task List.



MORE INFORMATION
The startup directory option will be ignored in the following two situations:


 * The program item being started from the Active Task List was originally placed there as a result of a LOAD=ENABLED entry in the DOSSHELL.INI file.
 * The program item being started from the Active Task List was added to the Active Task List by holding down the SHIFT key, and double-clicking on the program item (or pressing SHIFT+ENTER).

In the above cases, the effective startup directory will be the active directory at the time Shell was started.



WORKAROUND
To work around this limitation, write a batch file for the application that first changes to the desired startup directory before starting. Then create a program item for the batch file, not the executable. (Note: In this case, the startup directory option is now unnecessary.)

Example
To make a batch file to run Microsoft Word for MS-DOS, do the following:

  Include the following lines in a batch file called WORD5.BAT:      cd \word5 word  Make a program item for WORD5.BAT using the procedure described on pages 186-188 of the version 5.0 &quot;Microsoft MS-DOS User's Guide and Reference.&quot;

Additional query words: 5.00 5.00a 6.00

Keywords: KB78670

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