how to find closest folder in the command line

Question

Suppose the command :pwd returns

~/Users/MyUser/FolderA/FolderB

I want to write a script where I don't know in advance that I am in FolderB, as I can be in FolderA or even some other external folder.

My script resides in FolderB and I want to find a folder with a specific name (FolderC) that resides in FolderA alongside FolderB

If i search for find ~ iname "FolderC" i find all sorts of results that I do not want. I want only the 1 closest possible directory with that name to my script.

What is the line that will help me find it ?

• Tyson: I think the find your looking for is "find .. inane "FolderC"' using .. will start find in the directory above current. Whereas your ~ starts find at your home directory.

Answer 1

Use the absolute path instead of the relative one.

Instead of ~/... Use /home/... (or C:/... for Windows). This avoids the difficultly in finding the file relative to your location.

• Lena Bru: exactly what i do not want to do. this script is to be run on multiple computers
• ztk: @LenaBru Ok. you didn't put that in the question, though.
• Lena Bru: i didnt have to, the question is asking to find an anonymous folder.... ;)

Answer 2

My script resides in FolderB and I want to find a folder with a specific name (FolderC) that resides in FolderA alongside FolderB

First you need to find the directory that your script is in. Then, you need to go up one directory and look for FolderB:

dir=$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd )
folderc="$dir/../FolderC"

Answer for revised question

I do not know if FolderC resides directly above the script, it may be 2 3 or even more directories up, ...

This searches for FolderC through all parent directories up to the root directory:

dir=$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && pwd ) 
while echo dir=$dir; [ $dir != / ] && dir=$(dirname "$dir")
do
 b="$dir/FolderC"
 [ -d "$b" ] && break
 false
done || echo "Fail no such directory"
echo "The nearest FolderC is $b"

• Lena Bru: I don't want to cd into the folder, I want its absolute path without cd, how do i get that?
• Lena Bru: I do not know if FolderC resides directly above the script, it may be 2 3 or even more directories up, this is why i said "the closest", meaning look until you find first result
• John1024: (1) Sorry for the confusion: the cd command is run only within a subshell. When the assignment of dir completes, you are back in the parent shell and the cd is gone. If you try it, you will see that cd has no lasting effect. (2) Thank you for the clarification.
• John1024: @LenaBru See updated answer for a script that searches through parent directories.
• John1024: @LenaBru Did this answer your question?