Python get path to executable file?

I'm very new to Python programming and I've cobbled together some code that will hopefully automatically rename a bunch files in a specific folder. I need to run this program on a computer without Python installed (it's not connected to the internet and I can't install python on it) so I've converted the .py file to a .exe file using auto-py-to-exe. The .py file works on my laptop, so the problem only shows up when I try to run the .exe file.

I use the path to the folder that the script is located in throughout the code so at the beginning of the script, I save the filepath as "path":

path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__))

However, when I convert the .py file to a .exe file and move that .exe file to another folder, the filepath that is saved in the 'path' variable is in a temp folder (probably the output location of the file converter). I tested it by isolating the part of the script that gets the filepath and making a .exe file to print just that filepath.

Is there a different way that I can get the filepath of the executable file? I don't want to hardcode the filepath into the program because people constantly reorganize the folders on that computer and I want this program to be flexible.

Here is the rest of the code if it's needed for context. Thank you and I'm sorry if this is a really basic question :)

#  This section of code imports the modules used below
import os
import tkinter as tk
from tkinter import simpledialog
from tkinter import messagebox

#  Setting global variables
path = os.path.dirname(os.path.realpath(__file__)) + "/"  # This sets the filepath to the current folder

#  Choosing the dough
dough_input = tk.Tk(className='Select dough')
dough_input.geometry('400x200')

# This is the code that creates the dough selection box. Any new types can be added here using the template below:
dough = tk.StringVar()
radiobutton_1 = tk.Radiobutton(dough_input, text='a', variable=dough, value="a", tristatevalue=0)
radiobutton_1.pack()
radiobutton_2 = tk.Radiobutton(dough_input, text='b', variable=dough, value="b", tristatevalue=0)
radiobutton_2.pack()
radiobutton_3 = tk.Radiobutton(dough_input, text='c', variable=dough, value="c", tristatevalue=0)
radiobutton_3.pack()
radiobutton_4 = tk.Radiobutton(dough_input, text='d', variable=dough, value="d", tristatevalue=0)
radiobutton_4.pack()


# This section of code saves the dough chosen and closes the pop-up window.
def submitfunction():
    global bread
    bread = dough.get()
    dough_input.destroy()


submit = tk.Button(dough_input, text='Submit', command=submitfunction)
submit.pack()

# This section of code triggers the pop-up window for the dough selection.
dough_input.mainloop()

#  Inputting the first number
root = tk.Tk()
root.withdraw()
user_inp = simpledialog.askinteger("Number Input", "Input first number:")
i = int(user_inp)

#  Defining the file rename function
def rename():
    global i  # use the variable  "i" defined above (The number that the user inputs)
    for filename in os.listdir(path):  # for each file in the folder specified above do the following
        if ".sur" in filename:
            my_dest = str(bread) + " " + str(i).zfill(4) + ".txt"  # sets the new filename
            my_source = path + filename  # Defines the old filepath to the file
            my_dest = path + my_dest  # Defines the new filepath to the file
            os.rename(my_source, my_dest)  # rename function
            i = i + 1  # advances the program down the list
    messagebox.showinfo("Success", "All files have been renamed successfully!")  # confirmation message!


# This function asks the user if the information they've input is correct. Once the user clicks "ok" the program runs
# the rename function.
def sanity_check():
    file_list = os.listdir(path)
    j = 0
    for g in file_list:
        if ".txt" in g:
            j += 1

    # This section of code does some calculations and creates a "sanity check" for the user. It takes the number that
    # the user inputted above and sets that as the first number "i". Then it counts the number of files that
    # meets the above criteria and sets that to the number of files. It uses that number of files to calculate the
    # last number in the list. It then concatenates all this information and asks the user to 
    # confirm. If the user presses "ok" then the program
    # proceeds with the rename. If the user presses cancel, the program aborts.

    first_num = i
    num_files = j
    length_files = int(num_files) - 1
    last_file = i + length_files
    last_num = last_file
    check = str(
        "There are " + str(num_files) + " files in this folder. The dough analyzed is " + str(
            dough) + ". The first "
                       "number is " + str(first_num).zfill(
            4) + " and the last number is " + str(
            last_num).zfill(4) + ". Is this correct?")

    # This is the section of code that asks the user to verify the numbers.
    confirmation = messagebox.askokcancel("Sanity Check!", check)
    if confirmation == False:
        messagebox.showerror("", "Program Cancelled")
    else:
        rename()


# This is the command that runs the program.
sanity_check()

Solution 1:

I think, os.getcwd() and sys.executable is what you are looking for. With these 2 functions you will know the folder you'r script running in (from where you started it), and the path to a current python executable (which probably will be included in a .exe distribution, and unpacked to a tmp dir):

$> mkdir -p /tmp/x
$> cd /tmp/x
$> pwd
/tmp/x
$> which python
/usr/bin/python
$> python

Python 3.9.5 (default, May 24 2021, 12:50:35)
[GCC 11.1.0] on linux
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> import os
>>> os.getcwd()
'/tmp/x'
>>> import sys
>>> sys.executable
'/usr/bin/python'
>>>