How to write the path of a folder with space in its name?

Question

I can't figure out how to write the path of a folder that includes spaces in its name (in Terminal).

I tried:

cd /path/path/path/"A Folder"/file

cd /path/path/path/'A Folder/file

cd /path/path/path/A_Folder/file

but they all return the error through the terminal:

[command]: cannot access '/path/path/path/A Folder/file' No such a file or directory

I can still access it through steps like so:

cd /home
cd user
cd Desktop
cd "Bash Programming"
bash Example

Please post the exact command you're using - not a generic /path/path/A Folder. Since the error message includes the full path (with space) it's unlikely to be an issue with the space - more likely you are making an error in the path itself. — steeldriver, Sep 30 '14 at 13:40
The first one (cd /path/path/path/"A Folder"/file) should work. — glenn jackman, Sep 30 '14 at 14:00

Benoit · Accepted Answer · 2014-09-30T14:12:21.807

86

You can enclose the whole path by double-quotes ("), single-quote (') or escape the space character using a backslash (\) :

cd "/path/path/path/A Folder/file"
cd '/path/path/path/A Folder/file'
cd /path/path/path/A\ Folder/file

edited Sep 30 '14 at 14:12

answered Sep 30 '14 at 13:39

Benoit

4

@Shady330 you don't need to enclose the whole path in quotes (though that is neater), your first example should have worked: cd /path/to/"A folder". – terdon Sep 30 '14 at 14:42
I always just escape...most ergonomic option – Mike Ciffone Dec 20 '21 at 18:44

score 10 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 30 '14 at 13:39

10

Either quote the entire name:

cd "/path/path/path/A Folder/file"

or escape just the strange characters (space, in this case) using a backslash.

cd /path/path/path/A\ Folder/file

Another thing to try, is using tab completion:

cd /home/user/Desktop/Bas

Then press the TAB key, this should complete it to:

cd /home/user/Desktop/Bash\ Programming/

Then you can type the rest of the path.

answered Sep 30 '14 at 13:39

roadmr

When I try using the tab completion, it just stops before the 'space' and doesn't auto-complete further. Is there some setting in the .bashrc that enables this feature? – Lakshya Goyal Dec 23 '21 at 18:14

score 6 · Answer 3 · answered Sep 30 '14 at 13:39

6

Have you tried this?

cd Bash\ Programming

Or

/path/path/path/A\ Folder/file

answered Sep 30 '14 at 13:39

ararog

score 5 · Answer 4 · edited Sep 30 '14 at 14:22

5

either put all or partial path in single or double quote or escape space with backslash.
Eg:

cd /path\ to\ folder  
cd '/path to folder'

edited Sep 30 '14 at 14:22

αғsнιη

answered Sep 30 '14 at 13:44

totti

4 Answers4