# 'gets' OS commands?

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gets-os-commands/80570>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [December 28, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gets-os-commands/80570 "2006-12-28T19:07:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![woodyee](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/43a26b/32.png) [@woodyee](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/woodyee)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 7:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gets-os-commands/80570/1 "2006-12-28T19:07:12Z")

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Hi! I’m creating a little program for myself:

# Have user enter a directory in Windows (ex., C:\ or C:\Windows, etc)

# Have the user search the directory for .txt files

# Have user pick a file to read

I’m stuck at #1! Yikes! How can I get a user to input a command (like  
“Dir.chdir”)? Thanks!

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![woodyee](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/w/43a26b/32.png) [@woodyee](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/woodyee)\
**Post date:** [December 28, 2006, 9:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gets-os-commands/80570/2 "2006-12-28T21:47:43Z")

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On 12/28/06, woodyee [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote:

> Hi! I’m creating a little program for myself:
> 
> # Have user enter a directory in Windows (ex., C:\ or C:\Windows, etc)
> 
> # Have the user search the directory for .txt files
> 
> # Have user pick a file to read
> 
> I’m stuck at #1! Yikes! How can I get a user to input a command (like  
> “Dir.chdir”)? Thanks!

I usually use fileutils.

[http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/fileutils/rdoc/index.html](http://www.ruby-doc.org/stdlib/libdoc/fileutils/rdoc/index.html)

Maybe Highline would be helpful for the interface, too:

[http://highline.rubyforge.org/](http://highline.rubyforge.org/)

Warm Regards,  
greg