Command line app: Unix cd command -

my mac os command line application making unix calls such as:

system("rm -rf /users/stu/developer/file); 

perfectly successfully.

so why following not changing current directory?

system("cd /users/me/whatever"); system("pwd");    //cd has not changed 

because

system() executes command specified in command calling /bin/sh -c command, , returns after command has been completed.

so each command executed independently, each in new instance of shell.

so first call spawns new sh (with current working directory), changes directories, , exits. second call spawns new sh (again in cwd).

see man page system().

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the better solution to not use system. has inherent flaws can leave open security vulnerabilities. instead of executing system() commands, should use equivalent posix c functions. everything can command-line, can c functions (how think utilities work?)

• instead of system("rm -rf ...") use this.
• instead of system("cd ...") use chdir().
• instead of system("pwd ...") use getcwd().

there differences, of course, these fundamental equivalents of you're trying do.