---
title: Wherever Change Directory
layout: default
created: 2009-02-22 13:40:40 +0100
updated: 2009-02-22 13:46:25 +0100
toc: false
tags:
  - know-how
  - software
  - linux
  - tools
---
[wcd](http://www.xs4all.nl/~waterlan/) is a tool which catalogs all directories of your $HOME (can be configured to
catalog the whole drive) and then lets you type `wcd Desktop` and switches over to your `~/Desktop` from wherever you
are. Or you can type `wcd "Rammstein*"` and it will show you a list of your Rammstein-albums of your `~/Music`-directory
and jump to your choice.

The Ubuntu-Package is very outdated, so you better download the file from the homepage. Unpack it in `/usr/local`:

    /usr/local% sudo tar xvzf wcd-4.1.0-linux.tar.gz

This will put a `wcd.exe` to your `/usr/local/bin` which is the main executable. But *wcd* doesn't work by directly
calling it, you have to add a function to your shell. But the following code into your `.bash_profile` or `.zshrc`:

{% highlight bash %}
# wcd
function wcd {
    /usr/local/bin/wcd.exe -i -K -G $HOME $*
    . $HOME/wcd.go
    rm $HOME/wcd.go
}
{% endhighlight %}

This advises *wcd* to put the `cd`-command into a file `~/wcd.go` which is afterwards sourced by your shell to actually
complete the `cd`. You can also type `wcd -g` to start the graphical `cd`. The switches `-i -K` make *wcd* ignore cases
and put it in color-mode (for the `-g` UI).

<p><div class="noteclassic" markdown="1">
Before using it the first time, you might have to issue a `wcd -s` which will scan your $HOME.
</div></p>