How to run a program from within a different directory in the Linux command line

unix

How can I run a program without cd'ing to the directory where it resides?

I have tried ./my/dir myfile.pl and again without the leading . but neither work.

You enter the full path of the executable:

./path/to/my/dir/myfile.pl

Use !*. It expands to all words except the first one (i.e. the command).

$ vim arbit.py
$ python !*
python arbit.py

You can combine it with all the features of !, for example:

$ vim arbit.py
$ ls
$ python !vim:*
vim arbit.py

Or, if you want only the last word, there are two other ways:

$ vim arbit.py
$ python !$

or:

$ vim arbit.py
$ python <Esc+.>

It is very simple:

./A/Convert B/some_file

It means go to the directory A and run the program with parameter that you will give.