# Need to carry over application variable into RUBY script **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [April 17, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-to-carry-over-application-variable-into-ruby-script/58003 "2006-04-17T18:13:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 6:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-to-carry-over-application-variable-into-ruby-script/58003/1 "2006-04-17T18:13:14Z")
I have an application that converts PDFs to individual EPS files. When it does so, it creates a subdirectory with the same name as the original filename and puts all of the resulting EPS files it creates into that directory. Well, I have to do a lot of scripting and stuff on those EPS files. To automate this, I need to know what the directory name is that it put the files. The application provides a variable, “%2,” just for this purpose. I’ve gotten this %2 variable to work for me in cmd.exe. But, I’d like it to work in RUBY. I’m sure it can be done. But, came someone tell me how I can transfer this %2 variable from my application to a Dir.chdir target? Example: A 100 page PDF comes in named IRSp590. The application creates a subdirectory named “IRSp590.” All of the files the application creates are put into this directory. I just need to get into that directory, wherever it is, and do stuff to the files. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-to-carry-over-application-variable-into-ruby-script/58003/2 "2006-04-17T18:19:21Z")
On 4/17/06, Peter B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > I have an application that converts PDFs to individual EPS files. When > it does so, it creates a subdirectory with the same name as the original > filename and puts all of the resulting EPS files it creates into that > directory. Well, I have to do a lot of scripting and stuff on those EPS > files. To automate this, I need to know what the directory name is that > it put the files. The application provides a variable, “%2,” just for > this purpose. I’ve gotten this %2 variable to work for me in cmd.exe. > But, I’d like it to work in RUBY. I’m sure it can be done. But, came > someone tell me how I can transfer this %2 variable from my application > to a Dir.chdir target? %2 is the 2nd argument on the command-line, so you just have to look for ARGV[2]. It’d be interesting to find out what %1 is 😉 -austin ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 7:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-to-carry-over-application-variable-into-ruby-script/58003/3 "2006-04-17T19:13:30Z")
Austin Z. wrote: > On 4/17/06, Peter B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > I have an application that converts PDFs to individual EPS files. When > > it does so, it creates a subdirectory with the same name as the original > > filename and puts all of the resulting EPS files it creates into that > > directory. Well, I have to do a lot of scripting and stuff on those EPS > > files. To automate this, I need to know what the directory name is that > > it put the files. The application provides a variable, “%2,” just for > > this purpose. I’ve gotten this %2 variable to work for me in cmd.exe. > > But, I’d like it to work in RUBY. I’m sure it can be done. But, came > > someone tell me how I can transfer this %2 variable from my application > > to a Dir.chdir target? > > %2 is the 2nd argument on the command-line, so you just have to look > for ARGV[2]. > > It’d be interesting to find out what %1 is 😉 > > -austin Thanks, Austin. So, do I do this? Dir.chdir(ARGV[2]) or this Dir.chdir(“ARGV[2]”)? ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 8:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-to-carry-over-application-variable-into-ruby-script/58003/4 "2006-04-17T20:24:43Z")
Austin Z. wrote: > On 4/17/06, Peter B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > > > someone tell me how I can transfer this %2 variable from my application > > > > Dir.chdir(“ARGV[2]”)? > > > > Never the latter. > > I’m presuming that what you actually have is a command-line entry box > in your Windows program: > > [post\_process\_script %2] > > If that’s how you’re configuring it, then your Ruby code must be > looking for ARGV[1], not ARGV[2]. > > -austin No, there’s no command line entry box. It’s just an understood variable that the application can use in a post-processing script, which, usually is, of course, a .cmd script. In a simple Windows script, for example, you could do this: cd %2 and you would go to the directory path of the file that the application produced. ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 7:43pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-to-carry-over-application-variable-into-ruby-script/58003/5 "2006-04-17T19:43:34Z")
On 4/17/06, Peter B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > someone tell me how I can transfer this %2 variable from my application > > > Dir.chdir(“ARGV[2]”)? > > > Never the latter. I’m presuming that what you actually have is a command-line entry box in your Windows program: [post\_process\_script %2] If that’s how you’re configuring it, then your Ruby code must be looking for ARGV[1], not ARGV[2]. -austin ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 8:32pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-to-carry-over-application-variable-into-ruby-script/58003/6 "2006-04-17T20:32:53Z")
On 4/17/06, Peter B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > No, there’s no command line entry box. It’s just an understood variable > that the application can use in a post-processing script, which, usually > is, of course, a .cmd script. In a simple Windows script, for example, > you could do this: > cd %2 > and you would go to the directory path of the file that the application > produced. OK. Then you need ARGV[2]. -austin ---
**Author:** ![bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/b/e79b87/32.png) [@bodikp](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/bodikp)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 8:47pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/need-to-carry-over-application-variable-into-ruby-script/58003/7 "2006-04-17T20:47:48Z")
Austin Z. wrote: > On 4/17/06, Peter B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > No, there’s no command line entry box. It’s just an understood variable > > that the application can use in a post-processing script, which, usually > > is, of course, a .cmd script. In a simple Windows script, for example, > > you could do this: > > cd %2 > > and you would go to the directory path of the file that the application > > produced. > > OK. Then you need ARGV[2]. > > -austin Thank you!