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bashbash-completioncompgen

specify another directory to compgen for auto completing directories, than using pwd

compgen -d -- $cur will suggest completions for the directories in pwd only right?

Can I get it to suggest directory completions for some dir while being in another dir.

For eg. if I am in /curr_dir, and I want to generate directory completions for /other_dir what do I do? How do I specify it to compgen, so that I don't need to go to /other_dir

In my bash-completion function, I tried doing a cd to that dir before calling compgen but that leaves me in the other dir after pressing <Tab>.

Solution

  • compgen -d -- $cur will suggest completions for the directories in pwd only right?

    No, it will complete $cur, assuming the content is a path. Try it yourself by entering the command directly into your shell. Example:

    $ compgen -d -- "/"
/run
/lib64
/usr
[...]

    So the only thing you have to do is to use "$other_dir" instead of "$cur". Also, remember to quote the strings or the shell might split the directory name:

    compgen -d -- "$foo" # good
compgen -d -- $foo   # bad