How to change directories in a shell script?

nlecce

1/18/24, 10:17 PM

Background

I'm currently using the CLI for md-to-pdf. I'm not sure if it's by design or limitation, but when generating PDFs from MD files containing PNG hyperlinks from not within the directory containing the PNGs, the image URL is broken within the PDF.

If I run md-to-pdf within the directory containing the PNG & MD files, the PDF is generated which correctly embeds the PNG.

Workaround

As a workaround, I would like to change directory to the directory containing the PNG & MD files while the shell script is running (it's part of a pre-commit hook). If I run the shell script at the directory home/user/repo/, how do I CD to repo/docs/diagrams/<directoryWithPNG&MDs>? Sorry for the lack of better wording, but I'm new to shell scripting, I like it but it's tedious and I appreciate any help given.

Is it possible for me to return to the directory I was before I switched directories?

Thank you!

0 + 3

command-line

scripts

cd-command

Doug Smythies

1/18/24, 11:09 PM

wouldn't it just be a `cd docs/diagrams/<directoryWithPNG&MDs>` line in the script? Otherwise show what you have done and the results, as it might give us better context.

nlecce

1/19/24, 12:54 AM

hi, i think you were correct. i was ambiguously using $(pwd). bonus question: without using `cd ../../..`, how would I traverse back up to `repo/`? is this possible? or must I use `cd ../../..`

Terrance

1/19/24, 1:05 AM

Since it is `/home/user/repo` it would just be `~/repo`, However, you can also use `cd -` which will return to the last directory it was in before you changed to the other directory.

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