Why I can't change directories using “cd”?

Question

I\'m trying to write a small script to change the current directory to my project directory:

#!/bin/bash
cd /home/tree/projects/java

I save

Answer 1

Use exec bash at the end

A bash script operates on its current environment or on that of its children, but never on its parent environment.

However, this question often gets asked because one wants to be left at a (new) bash prompt in a certain directory after execution of a bash script from another directory.

If this is the case, simply execute a child bash instance at the end of the script:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
cd /home/tree/projects/java
exec bash

Update

At least with newer versions of bash, the exec on the last line is no longer required. Furthermore, the script could be made to work with whatever preferred shell by using the $SHELL environment variable. This then gives:

#!/usr/bin/env bash
cd desired/directory
$SHELL

Answer 2

I did the following:

create a file called case

paste the following in the file:

#!/bin/sh

cd /home/"$1"

save it and then:

chmod +x case

I also created an alias in my .bashrc:

alias disk='cd /home/; . case'

now when I type:

case 12345

essentially I am typing:

cd /home/12345

You can type any folder after 'case':

case 12

case 15

case 17

which is like typing:

cd /home/12

cd /home/15

cd /home/17

respectively

In my case the path is much longer - these guys summed it up with the ~ info earlier.

Answer 3

I have to work in tcsh, and I know this is not an elegant solution, but for example, if I had to change folders to a path where one word is different, the whole thing can be done in the alias

a alias_name 'set a = `pwd`; set b = `echo $a | replace "Trees" "Tests"` ; cd $b'

If the path is always fixed, the just

a alias_name2 'cd path/you/always/need'

should work In the line above, the new folder path is set

Answer 4

I have a simple bash script called p to manage directory changing on
github.com/godzilla/bash-stuff
just put the script in your local bin directory (/usr/local/bin)
and put

alias p='. p'

in your .bashrc

Answer 5

simply run:

cd /home/xxx/yyy && command_you_want

Answer 6

If you are using fish as your shell, the best solution is to create a function. As an example, given the original question, you could copy the 4 lines below and paste them into your fish command line:

function proj
   cd /home/tree/projects/java
end
funcsave proj

This will create the function and save it for use later. If your project changes, just repeat the process using the new path.

If you prefer, you can manually add the function file by doing the following:

nano ~/.config/fish/functions/proj.fish

and enter the text:

function proj
   cd /home/tree/projects/java
end

and finally press ctrl+x to exit and y followed by return to save your changes.

(NOTE: the first method of using funcsave creates the proj.fish file for you).