# scd - smart change of directory

Define `scd` shell function for changing to any directory with
a few keystrokes.

`scd` keeps history of the visited directories, which serves as an index of
the known paths.  The directory index is updated after every `cd` command in
the shell and can be also filled manually by running `scd -a`.  To switch to
some directory, `scd` needs few fragments of the desired path to match with
the index.  A selection menu is displayed in case of several matches, with a
preference given to recently visited paths.  `scd` can create permanent
directory aliases, which appear as named directories in zsh session.

## INSTALLATION

For oh-my-zsh, add `scd` to the `plugins` array in the ~/.zshrc file as in the
[template file](../../templates/zshrc.zsh-template#L45).

Besides zsh, `scd` can be used with *bash*, *dash* or *tcsh*
shells and is also available as [Vim](http://www.vim.org/) plugin and
[IPython](http://ipython.org/) extension.  For installation details, see
https://github.com/pavoljuhas/smart-change-directory.

## SYNOPSIS

```sh
scd [options] [pattern1 pattern2 ...]
```

## OPTIONS

<dl><dt>
-a, --add</dt><dd>
  add specified directories to the directory index.</dd><dt>

--unindex</dt><dd>
  remove specified directories from the index.</dd><dt>

-r, --recursive</dt><dd>
  apply options <em>--add</em> or <em>--unindex</em> recursively.</dd><dt>

--alias=ALIAS</dt><dd>
  create alias for the current or specified directory and save it to
  <em>~/.scdalias.zsh</em>.</dd><dt>

--unalias</dt><dd>
  remove ALIAS definition for the current or specified directory from
  <em>~/.scdalias.zsh</em>.</dd><dt>

--list</dt><dd>
  show matching directories and exit.</dd><dt>

-v, --verbose</dt><dd>
  display directory rank in the selection menu.</dd><dt>

-h, --help</dt><dd>
  display this options summary and exit.</dd>
</dl>

## Examples

```sh
# Index recursively some paths for the very first run
scd -ar ~/Documents/

# Change to a directory path matching "doc"
scd doc

# Change to a path matching all of "a", "b" and "c"
scd a b c

# Change to a directory path that ends with "ts"
scd "ts(#e)"

# Show selection menu and ranking of 20 most likely directories
scd -v

# Alias current directory as "xray"
scd --alias=xray

# Jump to a previously defined aliased directory
scd xray
```

# FILES

<dl><dt>
~/.scdhistory</dt><dd>
    time-stamped index of visited directories.</dd><dt>

~/.scdalias.zsh</dt><dd>
    scd-generated definitions of directory aliases.</dd>
</dl>

# ENVIRONMENT

<dl><dt>
SCD_HISTFILE</dt><dd>
    path to the scd index file (by default ~/.scdhistory).</dd><dt>

SCD_HISTSIZE</dt><dd>
    maximum number of entries in the index (5000).  Index is trimmed when it
    exceeds <em>SCD_HISTSIZE</em> by more than 20%.</dd><dt>

SCD_MENUSIZE</dt><dd>
    maximum number of items for directory selection menu (20).</dd><dt>

SCD_MEANLIFE</dt><dd>
    mean lifetime in seconds for exponential decay of directory
    likelihood (86400).</dd><dt>

SCD_THRESHOLD</dt><dd>
    threshold for cumulative directory likelihood.  Directories with
    lower likelihood are excluded unless they are the only match to
    scd patterns.
    </dd><dt>

SCD_SCRIPT</dt><dd>
    command script file where scd writes the final <code>cd</code>
    command.  This variable must be defined when scd runs in its own
    process rather than as a shell function.  It is up to the
    scd caller to use the output in <em>SCD_SCRIPT</em>.</dd>
</dl>