How do you remove the PowerShell requirement that scripts and executables be preceded by ".\"?

Question

The PowerShell warning message that is shown when "a.exe" is entered instead of ".\a.exe":

The command a.exe was not found, but does exist in the current location. Windows PowerShell doesn't load commands from the current location by default. If you trust this command, instead type ".\a.exe".

manojlds · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-20 19:04:01Z

47

It is a security feature so that you do run scripts that you think you are running. That is why unlike cmd, you do not have . ( current directory) in PATH and you have to do .\my.exe etc.

If you don't want to do this and subvert this precaution, add . to your PATH:

$env:PATH =$env:PATH+";."

answered Mar 20, 2012 at 19:04

manojlds

303k66 gold badges483 silver badges426 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

6 Comments

Igor Akkerman Over a year ago

Unfortunately, this trick stopped working with the latest versions (tested with PowerShell 7.1.3). The generic error message is followed by this:

Suggestion [3,General]: The command mycommand was not found, but does exist in the current location. PowerShell does not load commands from the current location by default. If you trust this command, instead type: ".\mycommand". See "get-help about_Command_Precedence" for more details.

Patrick Szalapski Over a year ago

@IgorAkkerman, It works for me in Powershell 7.2.0. Want to try again--maybe it was a regression since fixed?

Igor Akkerman Over a year ago

@PatrickSzalapski Thanks for the clue, it works for me in 7.2.1 as well.

Patrick Szalapski Over a year ago

This no longer works for me in 7.2.4. Anyone have any other ideas?

Egret Over a year ago

Is there a way to subvert the precaution permanently?

|

CB. · Accepted Answer · 2012-03-20 19:01:42Z

3

add in your path (evironment variable) the path where you usually put your script and exe file.

answered Mar 20, 2012 at 19:01

CB.

61.3k9 gold badges171 silver badges165 bronze badges

1 Comment

Berk Efe Keskin Over a year ago

This is my environment variable: ANDROID_HOME: C:\Users\berke\AppData\Local\Android\Sdk\platform-tools In platform-tools there is adb.exe i cant run adb exe globally what should i do...?

msftrncs · Accepted Answer · 2019-04-27 21:44:37Z

-2

Rename your script file so that it starts with a '.'.

See https://github.com/PowerShell/PowerShell/issues/9468

answered Apr 27, 2019 at 21:44

msftrncs

873 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How do you remove the PowerShell requirement that scripts and executables be preceded by ".\"?

3 Answers 3

6 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

6 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related