VBScript DriveLetter Property

last modified April 9, 2025

The DriveLetter property in VBScript is part of the FileSystemObject and Drive objects. It returns the drive letter of a specified drive. This property is read-only and provides a simple way to identify drives in scripts. It's commonly used in file system operations and drive management.

DriveLetter returns a single uppercase character (A-Z) followed by a colon. For network drives, it returns the mapped drive letter. This tutorial covers DriveLetter with practical examples to demonstrate its usage in various scenarios.

DriveLetter Property Overview

The DriveLetter property is available on Drive objects returned by the FileSystemObject. It provides the letter assigned to a physical or logical drive. The property is useful for drive identification and path construction.

Key features include consistent uppercase letter format and colon suffix. It works with all drive types (fixed, removable, network). Understanding this property helps create robust drive handling scripts. The property is read-only and cannot be modified.

Basic Drive Letter Retrieval

This example demonstrates the simplest use of DriveLetter to get the letter of the current drive. It shows how to access the property through a Drive object. The script displays the drive letter of the current working directory.

basic_driveletter.vbs

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set currentDrive = fso.GetDrive(fso.GetDriveName(fso.GetAbsolutePathName(".")))

WScript.Echo "Current drive letter: " & currentDrive.DriveLetter

Set currentDrive = Nothing
Set fso = Nothing

The script creates a FileSystemObject and gets the current drive. It then accesses the DriveLetter property. The output shows the drive letter (e.g., "C:") where the script is running. All objects are properly cleaned up at the end.

Listing All Drive Letters

This example shows how to retrieve drive letters for all available drives on a system. It demonstrates iterating through the Drives collection. Each drive's letter is displayed along with its drive type.

list_driveletters.vbs

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set drives = fso.Drives

For Each drive In drives
    WScript.Echo "Drive: " & drive.DriveLetter & " - Type: " & drive.DriveType
Next

Set drives = Nothing
Set fso = Nothing

The script enumerates all drives using the Drives collection. For each drive, it displays the letter and type. The output might show "C: - Type: 2" for a fixed drive. Network drives appear with their mapped letters.

Checking Specific Drive Availability

This example uses DriveLetter to check if a specific drive exists. It demonstrates practical error handling when accessing drives. The script tries to access drive D: and reports its availability.

check_drive.vbs

On Error Resume Next

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set drive = fso.GetDrive("D:")

If Err.Number = 0 Then
    WScript.Echo "Drive " & drive.DriveLetter & " is available"
Else
    WScript.Echo "Drive D: is not available"
    Err.Clear
End If

On Error GoTo 0
Set drive = Nothing
Set fso = Nothing

The script attempts to access drive D: and checks for errors. If successful, it displays the drive letter. Error handling prevents script termination if the drive doesn't exist. This pattern is useful for robust drive detection.

Network Drive Letter Verification

This example demonstrates DriveLetter with network drives. It shows how mapped network drives appear in the system. The script identifies network drives among all available drives.

network_drive.vbs

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set drives = fso.Drives

For Each drive In drives
    If drive.DriveType = 3 Then ' Network drive
        WScript.Echo "Network drive found: " & drive.DriveLetter
    End If
Next

Set drives = Nothing
Set fso = Nothing

The script checks each drive's type and reports network drives (type 3). For each network drive found, it displays the mapped letter. This helps identify available network resources in scripts. The output might show "Network drive found: Z:".

Building Paths with Drive Letters

This example combines DriveLetter with path construction. It shows how to use drive letters to build complete file paths. The script demonstrates dynamic path creation based on available drives.

build_path.vbs

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set drive = fso.GetDrive("C:")

If Not drive Is Nothing Then
    filePath = fso.BuildPath(drive.DriveLetter & "\", "Windows\System32")
    WScript.Echo "System directory: " & filePath
End If

Set drive = Nothing
Set fso = Nothing

The script gets the C: drive and constructs a path to the System32 directory. It uses DriveLetter to ensure proper path formatting. The output shows "System directory: C:\Windows\System32". This technique is useful for dynamic path construction.

Source

Drive Object Documentation

In this article, we have explored the DriveLetter property in VBScript, covering its usage and practical applications. From basic drive identification to network drive detection, these examples demonstrate reliable drive management. With this knowledge, you can enhance your scripts with robust drive handling capabilities.

Author

My name is Jan Bodnar and I am a passionate programmer with many years of programming experience. I have been writing programming articles since 2007. So far, I have written over 1400 articles and 8 e-books. I have over eight years of experience in teaching programming.

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