---
name: "GetCwd"
section: "3"
platform: "macos"
package: "tcl"
version: "152"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/GetCwd"
---

# GetCwd(3)

manipulate the current working directory

## NAME

Tcl\_GetCwd, Tcl\_Chdir - manipulate the current working directory

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <tcl.h>

char *
Tcl_GetCwd(interp, bufferPtr)

int
Tcl_Chdir(path)
```

## ARGUMENTS

Interpreter in which to report an error, if any. This dynamic string is used to store the current working directory. At the time of the call it should be uninitialized or free.  The caller must eventually call **Tcl\_DStringFree** to free up anything stored here. File path in UTF-8 format.

## DESCRIPTION

These procedures may be used to manipulate the current working directory for the application.  They provide C-level access to the same functionality as the Tcl **pwd** command.

**Tcl\_GetCwd** returns a pointer to a string specifying the current directory, or NULL if the current directory could not be determined. If NULL is returned, an error message is left in the *interp*'s result. Storage for the result string is allocated in bufferPtr; the caller must call **Tcl\_DStringFree()** when the result is no longer needed. The format of the path is UTF-8.

**Tcl\_Chdir** changes the applications current working directory to the value specified in *path*.  The format of the passed in string must be UTF-8.  The function returns -1 on error or 0 on success.

## KEYWORDS

pwd