How to make .command file execute at its location

command lineterminal

When you execute a .command file it is not at the location where the file resides. You can place a .command file anywhere with the command pwd in it, and it will always print your Users folder.

I need the file to execute at its location because I am trying to run nodemon my/file.js and currently it is looking for Users/(myname)/my/file.js which is wrong.

Best Answer

You can always used the $0 variable to find the directory the command is in and go there first.

#!/bin/bash

# Change directory to be where the command is.
cd "$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" > /dev/null && pwd)"

# Print the working directory for example.
pwd

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MacOS – How to get a Unix Executable File to run from anywhere, like Java or Git

You can add the location into your executable path.

Step 1: Use an editor to open ~/.profile

Step 2: Add the actual path into the file. For example, I added /Users/work/documents/fun/scripts into it and my ~/.profile looks like

export PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/opt/local/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin:/Users/work/documents/fun/scripts:$PATH

Step 3: Restart terminal, and issue which command. You should see the path of your program, and should be able to run the program regardless of your location.

which git
=> /usr/bin/git

Or another way, move the program into the existing executable path. To see existing executable path.

echo $PATH

Automator to execute shell script with an input text file, copy it to specific directory

EDIT: Workflow now works with one bug: running the workflow twice results in two copies of the control file being copied

Make a new Automator SERVICE. At the beginning, for "receives selected as input" choose "documents". Add the process "set value of variable" and make a new "destination path" variable (default variable name is "destination path"). Add the process "open finder items" to the beginning to open the control file. Add the process "run applescript" to the workflow the code is the following:

on run {input, parameters}

set LineNumber to (the line in which the path is specified in the control file)
tell application "TextEdit"
    set theVariable to paragraph LineNumber of document 1
    set thePath to POSIX path of theVariable
    set thePath to text 1 thru -2 of thePath
end tell

return thePath
end run

I don't know why this couldn't have been in the same block, but you need to add a separate AppleScript process. The code is as follows:

on run {input, parameters}

tell application "Finder"
    set theFolder to POSIX path of input & "/DEBIAN"
    try
        make new folder in folder input with properties {name:"DEBIAN"}
    end try
end tell

return theFolder
end run

Add the process "set value of variable" and make a new destination path variable (default name is "destination path 1").
Add the "get value of variable" process and get the value of the variable with the path of the input file ("destination path"). Click on "options" on this process and check "ignore this action's input".
After this, Automator has a process called "copy finder items" and this can be used to copy the input (the output of "get value of variable", which is the input file). This worked for me, hope it works for you as well. Good luck :)

Best Answer

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MacOS – How to get a Unix Executable File to run from anywhere, like Java or Git

Automator to execute shell script with an input text file, copy it to specific directory

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