Programming Forums - View Single Post - How create variables to hold directory names on Windows?

noleander · Mar 1st, 2005, 7:08 PM

I'm working on a PC running Windows XP. Using win-bash, but not CygWin. Having tremendous problems with spaces in folder names. Posted a question earlier today, and Ooble promptly replied with an excellent answer: Changing dirs works as long as you omit the drive ID:

bash> cd "C:\Program Files" # fails
bash> cd "\Program Files" # works

Thanks to Ooble. Next question: After typing "Program Files" the 40th time I'm thinking it is time to store the string "Program Files" in a string. I tried creating a variable and using it:

declare pf="\Program Files"
cd $pf

but this does not work because of the space in the folder name (it does work for folders without spaces in the name).

QUESTION: In bash on Windows, how can I store directory names (containing spaces) in variables so I can use them for "cd"?

Thanks in advance for any help,
neal
(unix programmer reluctantly shifting to PC)

Mar 1st, 2005, 7:08 PM	#1
noleander Newbie Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 5 Rep Power: 0	How create variables to hold directory names on Windows? I'm working on a PC running Windows XP. Using win-bash, but not CygWin. Having tremendous problems with spaces in folder names. Posted a question earlier today, and Ooble promptly replied with an excellent answer: Changing dirs works as long as you omit the drive ID: bash> cd "C:\Program Files" # fails bash> cd "\Program Files" # works Thanks to Ooble. Next question: After typing "Program Files" the 40th time I'm thinking it is time to store the string "Program Files" in a string. I tried creating a variable and using it: declare pf="\Program Files" cd $pf but this does not work because of the space in the folder name (it does work for folders without spaces in the name). QUESTION: In bash on Windows, how can I store directory names (containing spaces) in variables so I can use them for "cd"? Thanks in advance for any help, neal (unix programmer reluctantly shifting to PC)