patch 8.1.1291: not easy to change directory and restore
Problem: Not easy to change directory and restore.
Solution: Add the chdir() function. (Yegappan Lakshmanan, closes #4358)
diff --git a/runtime/doc/eval.txt b/runtime/doc/eval.txt
index a39f72b..84001b7 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/eval.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/eval.txt
@@ -2273,6 +2273,7 @@
String status of channel {handle}
changenr() Number current change number
char2nr({expr} [, {utf8}]) Number ASCII/UTF8 value of first char in {expr}
+chdir({dir}) String change current working directory
cindent({lnum}) Number C indent for line {lnum}
clearmatches([{win}]) none clear all matches
col({expr}) Number column nr of cursor or mark
@@ -3469,6 +3470,27 @@
let list = map(split(str, '\zs'), {_, val -> char2nr(val)})
< Result: [65, 66, 67]
+chdir({dir}) *chdir()*
+ Change the current working directory to {dir}. The scope of
+ the directory change depends on the directory of the current
+ window:
+ - If the current window has a window-local directory
+ (|:lcd|), then changes the window local directory.
+ - Otherwise, if the current tabpage has a local
+ directory (|:tcd|) then changes the tabpage local
+ directory.
+ - Otherwise, changes the global directory.
+ If successful, returns the previous working directory. Pass
+ this to another chdir() to restore the directory.
+ On failure, returns an empty string.
+
+ Example: >
+ let save_dir = chdir(newdir)
+ if save_dir
+ " ... do some work
+ call chdir(save_dir)
+ endif
+<
cindent({lnum}) *cindent()*
Get the amount of indent for line {lnum} according the C
indenting rules, as with 'cindent'.
diff --git a/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt b/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt
index cef6fd7..f874b07 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/usr_41.txt
@@ -769,6 +769,7 @@
haslocaldir() check if current window used |:lcd| or |:tcd|
tempname() get the name of a temporary file
mkdir() create a new directory
+ chdir() change current working directory
delete() delete a file
rename() rename a file
system() get the result of a shell command as a string