Convert absolute path to relative path in batch file

Is it possible to convert an absolute path to a relative path in a batch file? (the opposite of [this][1]). Obviously you would need two inputs: the absolute path to convert, and an absolute reference path that you want it to be relativised to.

eg:

Path to convert: c:\documents\mynicefiles\afile.txt
Reference path: c:\documents
Result: mynicefiles\afile.txt


[1]:

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@echo off
setlocal EnableDelayedExpansion
set Path_to_convert=c:\documents\mynicefiles\afile.txt
set Reference_path=c:\documents
set Result=!Path_to_convert:*%Reference_path%\=!
echo Result: %Result%

Here is another method that works if your want to remove the %cd% from the start of a string. It is slow but you could lower the number of loops if you situation allowed it.

call :removeCommonAtStart outvar C:\Users\Public\Documents\ASUSAccess

:removeCommonAtStart
:: Description: loops through two strings and sets new variable representing unique data
:: Required parameters:
:: name - name of the variable to be returned
:: test - string to have common data removed from start
:: Optional parameters:
:: remove - string if not defined then use %cd% as string.
:: Required functions:
:: removelet
set name=%~1
set test=%~2
set remove=%~3
if not defined remove set remove=%cd%
set endmatch=
FOR /L %%l IN (0,1,150) DO if not defined notequal call :removelet
goto :eof

:removelet
:: Description: called by removeCommonAtStart to remove one letter from the start of two string variables
:: Required preset variables:
:: test
:: remove
:: name
set test=%test:~1%
set %name%=%test:~1%
set remove=%remove:~1%
if "%test:~0,1%" neq "%remove:~0,1%" set notequal=on&exit /b
goto :eof

Below is a 'dostips' solution.<br>
Quite obscure at the level of operations used, but very efficient !

*Example provided in the header should help to understand usage of this macro.

::=//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
::= Makes a file name relative to a base path.
::= *param-1: file [in,out] - variable with file name to be converted, or file name itself for result in stdout
::= *param-2: base [in,opt*] - base path | *leave blank for current directory
::= *return: The resolved relative path is stored into *param-1
::=
::= SAMPLE*HOW-TO-USE:
::= a) Current path =D:\titi\toto\
::= b) DATAPATH_absolute =D:\titi\tata\tutu\log.txt
::= c) --relativize the data-path--
::=
::= c1) INIT the data:
::= $> set DATAPATH_relative=%DATAPATH_absolute%
::=
::= c2) CALL the sub-function:
::= $> call :MakeRelative DATAPATH_relative
::=
::= c3) (( After the call, result is set in %DATAPATH_relative% ))
::=
::= d) echo DATAPATH_relative =%DATAPATH_relative%
::= /---> "..\tata\tutu\log.txt"
::=
::= $source

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::= **web:

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::=--------------------------------------------------------------------------

:MakeRelative
SETLOCAL ENABLEDELAYEDEXPANSION

set src=%~1
if defined %1 set src=!%~1!
set bas=%~2
if not defined bas set bas=%cd%

for /f "tokens=*" %%a in ("%src%") do set src=%%~fa
for /f "tokens=*" %%a in ("%bas%") do set bas=%%~fa
set mat=&rem variable to store matching part of the name
set upp=&rem variable to reference a parent

for /f "tokens=*" %%a in ('echo.%bas:\=^&echo.%') do (
set sub=!sub!%%a\
call set tmp=%%src:!sub!=%%
if "!tmp!" NEQ "!src!" (set mat=!sub!) ELSE (set upp=!upp!..\)
)

set src=%upp%!src:%mat%=!
( ENDLOCAL & REM RETURN VALUES
IF defined %1 (SET %~1=%src%) ELSE ECHO.%src%
)
EXIT /b

[DosTips.com, :MakeRelative][1]


[1]:

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