Tribblix: manual page: cd.1

CD(1) User Commands CD(1)

NAME

cd, chdir, pushd, popd, dirs - change working directory

SYNOPSIS

/usr/bin/cd [directory]

sh
cd [argument]

chdir [argument]

csh
cd [dir]

chdir [dir]

pushd [+n | dir]

popd [+n]

dirs [-l]

ksh, ksh93
cd [-L] [-P] [arg]

cd old new

DESCRIPTION

/usr/bin/cd
The /usr/bin/cd utility changes the current directory in the context
of the cd utility only. This is in contrast to the version built into
the shell. /usr/bin/cd has no effect on the invoking process but can
be used to determine whether or not a given directory can be set as
the current directory.

sh
The Bourne shell built-in cd changes the current directory to
argument. The shell parameter HOME is the default argument. The
shell parameter CDPATH defines the search path for the directory
containing argument. Alternative directory names are separated by a
colon (:). The default path is <null> (specifying the current
directory). The current directory is specified by a null path name,
which can appear immediately after the equal sign or between the
colon delimiters anywhere else in the path list. If argument begins
with `/', `.', or `..', the search path is not used. Otherwise, each
directory in the path is searched for argument. cd must have execute
(search) permission in argument. Because a new process is created to
execute each command, cd would be ineffective if it were written as a
normal command; therefore, it is recognized by and is internal to the
shell. (See pwd(1), sh(1), and chdir(2)).

chdir is just another way to call cd.

csh
If dir is not specified, the C shell built-in cd uses the value of
shell parameter HOME as the new working directory. If dir specifies a
complete path starting with `/', `.', or `..', dir becomes the new
working directory. If neither case applies, cd tries to find the
designated directory relative to one of the paths specified by the
CDPATH shell variable. CDPATH has the same syntax as, and similar
semantics to, the PATH shell variable. cd must have execute (search)
permission in dir. Because a new process is created to execute each
command, cd would be ineffective if it were written as a normal
command; therefore, it is recognized by and is internal to the C-
shell. (See pwd(1), sh(1), and chdir(2)).

chdir changes the shell's working directory to directory dir. If no
argument is given, change to the home directory of the user. If dir
is a relative pathname not found in the current directory, check for
it in those directories listed in the cdpath variable. If dir is the
name of a shell variable whose value starts with a /, change to the
directory named by that value.

pushd pushes a directory onto the directory stack. With no arguments,
exchange the top two elements.

+n
Rotate the n'th entry to the top of the stack and cd to it.

dir
Push the current working directory onto the stack and change
to dir.

popd pops the directory stack and cd to the new top directory. The
elements of the directory stack are numbered from 0 starting at the
top.

+n
Discard the n'th entry in the stack.

dirs prints the directory stack, most recent to the left; the first
directory shown is the current directory. With the -l argument,
produce an unabbreviated printout; use of the ~ notation is
suppressed.

ksh, ksh93
The Korn shell built-in cd command can be in either of two forms. In
the first form it changes the current directory to arg. If arg is -
the directory is changed to the previous directory. The shell
variable HOME is the default arg. The environment variable PWD is set
to the current directory. If the PWD is changed, the OLDPWD
environment variable shall also be changed to the value of the old
working directory, that is, the current working directory immediately
prior to the call to change directory (cd). The shell variable CDPATH
defines the search path for the directory containing arg. Alternative
directory names are separated by a colon (:). The default path is
null (specifying the current directory). The current directory is
specified by a null path name, which can appear immediately after the
equal sign or between the colon delimiters anywhere else in the path
list. If arg begins with a `/', `.', or `..', then the search path is
not used. Otherwise, each directory in the path is searched for arg.
If unsuccessful, cd attempts to change directories to the pathname
formed by the concatenation of the value of PWD, a slash character,
and arg.

-L
Handles the operation dot-dot (..) logically. Symbolic link
components are not resolved before dot-dot components are
processed.

-P
Handles the operand dot-dot physically. Symbolic link
components are resolved before dot-dot components are
processed.

If both -L and -P options are specified, the last option to be
invoked is used and the other is ignored. If neither -L nor -P is
specified, the operand is handled dot-dot logically.

The second form of cd substitutes the string new for the string old
in the current directory name, PWD and tries to change to this new
directory.

The cd command cannot be executed by rksh. Because a new process is
created to execute each command, cd would be ineffective if it were
written as a normal command; therefore, it is recognized by and is
internal to the Korn shell. (See pwd(1), sh(1), and chdir(2)).

OPERANDS

The following operands are supported:

directory
An absolute or relative pathname of the directory that
becomes the new working directory. The interpretation of
a relative pathname by cd depends on the CDPATH
environment variable.

OUTPUT

If a non-empty directory name from CDPATH is used, an absolute
pathname of the new working directory is written to the standard
output as follows:

"%s\n", <new directory>

Otherwise, there is no output.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

See environ(7) for descriptions of the following environment
variables that affect the execution of cd: LANG, LC_ALL, LC_CTYPE,
LC_MESSAGES, and NLSPATH.

CDPATH
A colon-separated list of pathnames that refer to
directories. If the directory operand does not begin with a
slash ( / ) character, and the first component is not dot
or dot-dot, cd searches for directory relative to each
directory named in the CDPATH variable, in the order
listed. The new working directory sets to the first
matching directory found. An empty string in place of a
directory pathname represents the current directory. If
CDPATH is not set, it is treated as if it were an empty
string.

HOME
The name of the home directory, used when no directory
operand is specified.

OLDPWD
A pathname of the previous working directory, used by cd-.

PWD
A pathname of the current working directory, set by cd
after it has changed to that directory.

EXIT STATUS

The following exit values are returned by cd:

0
The directory was successfully changed.

>0
An error occurred.

ATTRIBUTES