Use registry to startup a program, and also change the current working directory?

Question

I am trying to start a program I made in this directory:

C:\example\example.exe -someargument

when the computer starts up. I am attempting to use this registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

with the key being:

Name: example
Type: REG_SZ
Data: "C:\example\example.exe -someargument"

But my program also needs files from the directory C:\example but can't find them since the current working directory is different. Is is possible to do something like this in the registry key value

"cd C:\example\; example.exe -someargument"

so that it will change the directory? Or is there a better solution?

Thanks!

Answer 1

You can also create a shortcut for the program in the folder and reference this shortcut in the registry:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Name: example
Type: REG_SZ
Data: "C:\example\example.lnk

Answer 2

At the start of the application, do the following (this is C#, convert to C++):

    using System.IO;
:
:
    Environment.CurrentDirectory = Path.GetDirectoryName(Application.ExecutablePath);