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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
cd [ arg ]
cd old new
DESCRIPTION
/usr/bin/cd
The cd utility will change the working directory of the
current shell execution environment. When invoked with no
operands, and the HOME environment variable is set to a
non-empty value, the directory named in the HOME environment
variable will become the new working directory.
sh
The Bourne shell built-in cd changes the current directory
to argument. The shell parameter HOME is the default argu-
ment. The shell parameter CDPATH defines the search path
for the directory containing argument. Alternative direc-
tory names are separated by a colon (:). The default path
is <null> (specifying the current directory). Note: 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 argu-
ment 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 inter-
nal 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 nei-
ther 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 seman-
tics 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 recog-
nized 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 vari-
able whose value starts with a /, change to the directory
named by that value.
pushd will push 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 direc-
tory. The elements of the directory stack are numbered from
0 starting at the top.
+n Discard the n'th entry in the stack.
dirs will print 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
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 previ-
ous directory. The shell variable HOME is the default arg.
The variable PWD is set to the current directory. 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). Note that 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. Other-
wise, each directory in the path is searched for arg.
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 may not 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; there-
fore, 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 abso-
lute pathname of the new working directory will be written
to the standard output as follows:
"%s\n", <new directory>
Otherwise, there will be no output.
ENVIRONMENT
See environ(5) for descriptions of the following environment
variables that affect the execution of cd: 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 will
search for directory relative to each directory
named in the CDPATH variable, in the order
listed. The new working directory will be set
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 will be treated as if it were an
empty string.
HOME The name of the home directory, used when no
directory operand is specified.
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.
SEE ALSO
csh(1), ksh(1), pwd(1), sh(1), chdir(2), environ(5)