Working directory

A working directory is the default operating system directory where an ABL session reads or writes most data files (such as text and XML files) that are specified with a relative pathname. An ABL session can have one active working directory at a time that is the current working directory. In OpenEdge, the current working directory can be one of the following:

When you run an ABL session that is started directly from a shortcut in the OpenEdge program group in Windows, such as the OpenEdge Desktop, the current working directory is the working directory that you specified during OpenEdge installation (C:\OpenEdge\WRK by default).

When you run an ABL session (OpenEdge AVM) from within OpenEdge Architect, the current working directory is the working directory you specified for the project you are currently working in.

When you start an ABL client directly from the command line, for example, by running the OpenEdge pro or mpro command in the OpenEdge Proenv command window, the current working directory is the active working directory at the point you run the command.

The current working directory is distinct and different from PROPATH. PROPATH is an environment variable that specifies one or more directories that an ABL session searches in order to locate and execute ABL code in any procedure file, include file, class definition file, or r-code file that you specify with a relative pathname.

The ABL session does not search the current working directory for data files that you access in order to load the contents of an editor widget. Instead, if you pass a relative pathname to the INSERT-FILE( ) method or the READ-FILE( ) method, the ABL session searches PROPATH to locate and read the file into the associated editor widget. This is an exception to how ABL generally handles access to data files specified with a relative pathname.