I am trying to do the following task:
write a shell script called changedir which
takes a directory name, a command name and (optionally) some additional arguments.
The script will then change into the directory indicated, and
executes the command indicated with the arguments provided.

Here an example:

$ sh changedir /etc ls -al


This should change into the /etc directory and run the command ls -al.

So far I have:

#!/bin/sh
directory=$1; shift
command=$1; shift
args=$1; shift
cd $directory
$command


If I run the above like sh changedir /etc ls it changes and lists the directory. But if I add arguments to the ls it does not work. What do I need to do to correct it?
    

        

    
            

                
    
    
        
    
    
        Lesmana27.1k12 gold badges83 silver badges87 bronze badges
        
    

            
    
        
            asked Dec 3, 2011 at 17:16
        
        
    
    
        
    
    
        frodofrodo1,0636 gold badges17 silver badges33 bronze badges
        
    

        
    





                
                
                    


                                        

            

            


    
    
You seemed to be ignoring the remainder of the arguments to your command.

If I understand correctly you need to do something like this:

#!/bin/sh
cd "$1"         # change to directory specified by arg 1
shift           # drop arg 1
cmd="$1"        # grab command from next argument
shift           # drop next argument
"$cmd" "$@"     # expand remaining arguments, retaining original word separations


A simpler and safer variant would be:

#!/bin/sh
cd "$1" && shift && "$@"

    
    
    
        
            answered Dec 3, 2011 at 17:20
        
        
    
    
        
    
    
        CB BaileyCB Bailey793k107 gold badges644 silver badges665 bronze badges
        
    

    





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Since there can probably be more than a single argument to a command, i would recommend using quotation marks. Something like this:

sh changedir.sh /etc "ls -lsah"


Your code would be much more readable if you ommited the 'shift':

directory=$1;
command=$2;
cd $directory
$command


or simply

cd DIRECTORY_HERE; COMMAND_WITH_ARGS_HERE

    
    
    
        
            answered Dec 3, 2011 at 17:40
        
        
    
    
        
    
    
        dgasperdgasper2122 silver badges7 bronze badges
        
    

    





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