[SOLVED] Force Batch file called with Invoke-Item to use a certain working directory

Force Batch file called with Invoke-Item to use a certain working directory

I want to call a Batch file from a PowerShell script. This Batch file calls another Batch file which resides in the same directory. The PowerShell script is in a different directory. For example consider this files/directories:

C:
+-- Test
    +-- Batch
        + -- Foo.bat
        + -- Bar.bat
    +-- PS
        +-- Foo.ps1

Foo.bat simply calls Bar.bat:

call Bar.bat

And in Foo.ps1 I'm calling Foo.bat:

Set-Location "C:\Test\Batch"
Invoke-Item "Foo.bat"

My problem now is, that Foo.bat gets called but still uses C:\Test\PS as its working directory and therefore cannot find Bar.bat. How can I force Foo.bat to use C:\Test\Batch as its working directory?

Neither changing Foo.bat nor putting Foo.ps1 in the same directory as Foo.bat are options.

Solution

Avoid using the Invoke-Item cmdlet to execute commands. Use the Start-Process cmdlet instead.

The problem is that the working folder is not defined. There are several ways to define this. Using the Start-Process cmdlet is the most appropriate for this specific case.

$Result = Start-Process -FilePath 'cmd.exe' -ArgumentList '/c Foo.bat' -WorkingDirectory 'C:\Test\Batch' -Wait -PassThru
Write-Output -InputObject "code $( $Result.ExitCode )"

The Wait and PassThru arguments will be required if you want to check the exit code.

I used an online translator. I apologize for not being fluent in the language.