# Chapter 31. Moving Around in a Hurry

#### Contents:

Getting Around the Filesystem
Using Relative and Absolute Pathnames
What Good Is a Current Directory?
How Does Unix Find Your Current Directory?
Saving Time When You Change Directories: cdpath
Loop Control: break and continue
The Shells' pushd and popd Commands
Nice Aliases for pushd
Quick cds with Aliases
cd by Directory Initials
Finding (Anyone's) Home Directory, Quickly
Marking Your Place with a Shell Variable
Automatic Setup When You Enter/Exit a Directory

## 31.1. Getting Around the Filesystem

> #### Summary Box How quickly can you move around the Unix filesystem? Can you locate any file or directory on your filesystem with both its absolute and relative pathnames? How can symbolic links help you and hurt you? A lot of Unix users don't realize how much they'll be helped by completely understanding a few filesystem basics. Here are some of the most important concepts and tricks to know: Using relative and absolute pathnames: Section 31.2. What good is a current directory? Section 31.3. Saving time and typing when changing directories with cdpath: Section 31.5. Directory stacks keep a list of directories you're using and let you get to them quickly: Section 31.7, Section 31.8. Quick cd aliases: Section 31.9. Using variables and a tilde (`~`) to help you find directories and files: Section 31.11. A mark alias to mark directory for cd'ing back: Section 31.12. Automatic setup for entering and exiting a directory: Section 31.13. -- JP

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