Ubuntu – Bash script to open up a terminal and cd into a directory

bash

I'm trying to write a simple bash script, which when run from the command line, will cd into a default directory and then open up the folder in the file-browser:

#!/bin/bash

if [ -z "$1" ]
then
  # unless $1 is specified, cd into main proj
  cd code/ruby/my-main-proj
else
  # cd into project specified by $1
  cd code/ruby/$1
fi

# open folder in file manager    
pcmanfm .

This is great, it gives me two things:

  1. a command-prompt whose working directory is set to the project I want
  2. a file-browser for the same project

The trouble is that I would like to run my bash script by clicking on a desktop icon but in it's current form, the terminal does not open up, just the file browser..

So I've made a modification to try and get the terminal to open too:

then
  # unless $1 is specified, cd into main proj
  x-terminal-emulator -e "cd code/ruby/my-main-proj"
else
  # code same as before

But while the terminal does open, it just displays a blank screen, with no prompt or PWD.
How can I get a terminal to open up, and have it's working directory change to the one I'm trying to specify in my bash script?

Best Answer

I didn't get it to work with x-terminal-emulator, but with the standard gnome terminal.

user@MacBookPro:~$ gnome-terminal --working-directory=~/code/ruby/my-main-proj

Hope this helps.

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