Is there any way to change directory using C language?

Question

Is there any way by which I can change to any directory by executing a C program?

Are you looking for `cd`? Or are you looking for a way to actually set an active directory in C? — Eric, Aug 18 '09 at 12:58
This questions is often given as an exercise to students leaning unix-like OSs. If that is the case, pay careful attention to what Peter says about *which processes* can and can not be affected. — dmckee --- ex-moderator kitten, Aug 18 '09 at 15:22

score 21 · Answer 1 · edited Oct 29 '14 at 13:44

21

The chdir() function. For more info, use man chdir.

edited Oct 29 '14 at 13:44

Zach Saucier

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answered Aug 18 '09 at 13:00

Michael Foukarakis

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score 13 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 18 '09 at 13:03

13

Depending on your OS there are different calls for changing the current directory. These will normally only change the current dir of the process running the executable. After the process exits you will be in the directory you started in.

answered Aug 18 '09 at 13:03

heijp06

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Thanks Peter, so it seems that the physical change of directory will not take place . – Biswajyoti Das Aug 18 '09 at 13:10
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The current directory is part of the state of a process (like open files, memory maps, environment variable...). Usually a process can't change the state of another process (usually, debugger and so on may have special privileges, but that is another story). – AProgrammer Aug 18 '09 at 13:23
7

And this is why 'cd' is a shell builtin, not a separate executable. – Greg Rogers Aug 18 '09 at 13:25
There is a workaround, use [code] cd \`whateverProgramThatPrintsDirToStdout\` [/code] – neoedmund May 07 '19 at 05:41

score 12 · Answer 3 · edited Aug 11 '11 at 16:59

12

chdir() changes only the current working directory of the process but not of the context in which you are working. Suppose you execute a program in the terminal and your current directory is /home/Documents, then on executing a program having the following lines

chdir("cd ../Downloads");

will not change the working directory of the terminal, but changes that of the process only.

edited Aug 11 '11 at 16:59

agf

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answered Aug 11 '11 at 16:12

Santak Dalai

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score 11 · Answer 4 · edited Sep 20 '14 at 07:31

11

Well, the POSIX command for changing the current directory is:

chdir(const char*path);

See the recent POSIX documentation for chdir() is here.

edited Sep 20 '14 at 07:31

alk

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answered Aug 18 '09 at 13:01

Dmitry Brant

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score 3 · Answer 5 · answered Aug 18 '09 at 13:00

3

Yes, the chdir() function.

answered Aug 18 '09 at 13:00

Jesper

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score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Aug 18 '09 at 13:02

0

#include "stdafx.h"
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <unistd.h>

int main(int argc, char* argv[])
{
    system("C:\\windows\\notepad.exe");
    chdir("C:\\windows\\desktop");
    return 0;
}

As per this

answered Aug 18 '09 at 13:02

Kevin Boyd

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Is there any way to change directory using C language?

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