These two ways are not equivalent.
To mimic your batch behavior, first change the current directory:
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.io.directory.setcurrentdirectory%28v=vs.110%29.aspx[
^].
Of course, correctly written applications behave nicely. They either ignore current directory (anyone can use absolutely any directory to start any application; it's also called "start directory"), or input/output file locations would totally depend on this directory (approach typical for console-only applications), but it all cases it would nicely inform you on what it expects. But stupid people often write application which don't behave nicely. But why using them?
Anyway, I fully answered your question; please try it out.
—SA