Why does `//` only display for first level directories? [duplicate]
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This question already has an answer here:
What is the double slash (//) directory?
1 answer
For the root directory a // will display in the prompt:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:~$ cd /
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/$ cd //
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://$ cd ///
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/$
You can change to // directory. But when you change to /// directory it takes you back to /.
Sub-directories don't display the same way though:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:~$ cd /usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr$ cd /usr//src
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr/src$
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr/src$ cd //usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://usr$
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://usr$ cd ///usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr$
As you see // is automatically converted to a single / in sub-directories. However the rule doesn't apply to first level directories.
Why is // displayed for top level directories but not sub-directories?
command-line cd-command
edited Apr 20 at 13:04
pomsky
23.5k773100
asked Feb 15 at 1:45
WinEunuuchs2Unix
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marked as duplicate by muru command-line
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Feb 15 at 5:41
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
add a comment |Â
up vote
-2
down vote
favorite
This question already has an answer here:
What is the double slash (//) directory?
1 answer
For the root directory a // will display in the prompt:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:~$ cd /
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/$ cd //
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://$ cd ///
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/$
You can change to // directory. But when you change to /// directory it takes you back to /.
Sub-directories don't display the same way though:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:~$ cd /usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr$ cd /usr//src
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr/src$
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr/src$ cd //usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://usr$
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://usr$ cd ///usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr$
As you see // is automatically converted to a single / in sub-directories. However the rule doesn't apply to first level directories.
Why is // displayed for top level directories but not sub-directories?
command-line cd-command
edited Apr 20 at 13:04
pomsky
23.5k773100
asked Feb 15 at 1:45
WinEunuuchs2Unix
36.4k760138
marked as duplicate by muru command-line
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Feb 15 at 5:41
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
It's come up a few times over on U&L e.g. Why can I cd to // but not /// or //// or ///// or …
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 1:51
@steeldriver Weird I got 5 points from U&L today on a closed question and was thinking I should be spending more time over there. Are you hinting these types of questions are best posted there instead of AU?
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Feb 15 at 1:56
IMHO it's a valid question here (although arguably more about POSIX than Ubuntu) - the U&L regulars may be better at the intricacies of these things
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 2:26
Incidentally, Zsh does not display the two slashes aftercd //, neither in the prompt nor inpwd.
– fkraiem
Feb 15 at 6:06
add a comment |Â
up vote
-2
down vote
favorite
up vote
-2
down vote
favorite
This question already has an answer here:
What is the double slash (//) directory?
1 answer
For the root directory a // will display in the prompt:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:~$ cd /
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/$ cd //
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://$ cd ///
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/$
You can change to // directory. But when you change to /// directory it takes you back to /.
Sub-directories don't display the same way though:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:~$ cd /usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr$ cd /usr//src
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr/src$
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr/src$ cd //usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://usr$
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://usr$ cd ///usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr$
As you see // is automatically converted to a single / in sub-directories. However the rule doesn't apply to first level directories.
Why is // displayed for top level directories but not sub-directories?
command-line cd-command
edited Apr 20 at 13:04
pomsky
23.5k773100
asked Feb 15 at 1:45
WinEunuuchs2Unix
36.4k760138
This question already has an answer here:
What is the double slash (//) directory?
1 answer
For the root directory a // will display in the prompt:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:~$ cd /
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/$ cd //
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://$ cd ///
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/$
You can change to // directory. But when you change to /// directory it takes you back to /.
Sub-directories don't display the same way though:
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:~$ cd /usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr$ cd /usr//src
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr/src$
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr/src$ cd //usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://usr$
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien://usr$ cd ///usr
───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
rick@alien:/usr$
As you see // is automatically converted to a single / in sub-directories. However the rule doesn't apply to first level directories.
Why is // displayed for top level directories but not sub-directories?
This question already has an answer here:
What is the double slash (//) directory?
1 answer
command-line cd-command
command-line cd-command
edited Apr 20 at 13:04
pomsky
23.5k773100
asked Feb 15 at 1:45
WinEunuuchs2Unix
36.4k760138
edited Apr 20 at 13:04
pomsky
23.5k773100
asked Feb 15 at 1:45
WinEunuuchs2Unix
36.4k760138
edited Apr 20 at 13:04
pomsky
23.5k773100
edited Apr 20 at 13:04
pomsky
23.5k773100
edited Apr 20 at 13:04
pomsky
23.5k773100
23.5k773100
asked Feb 15 at 1:45
WinEunuuchs2Unix
36.4k760138
asked Feb 15 at 1:45
WinEunuuchs2Unix
36.4k760138
asked Feb 15 at 1:45
WinEunuuchs2Unix
36.4k760138
36.4k760138
marked as duplicate by muru command-line
Users with the  command-line badge can single-handedly close command-line questions as duplicates and reopen them as needed.
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Feb 15 at 5:41
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
marked as duplicate by muru command-line
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Feb 15 at 5:41
This question has been asked before and already has an answer. If those answers do not fully address your question, please ask a new question.
It's come up a few times over on U&L e.g. Why can I cd to // but not /// or //// or ///// or …
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 1:51
@steeldriver Weird I got 5 points from U&L today on a closed question and was thinking I should be spending more time over there. Are you hinting these types of questions are best posted there instead of AU?
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Feb 15 at 1:56
IMHO it's a valid question here (although arguably more about POSIX than Ubuntu) - the U&L regulars may be better at the intricacies of these things
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 2:26
Incidentally, Zsh does not display the two slashes aftercd //, neither in the prompt nor inpwd.
– fkraiem
Feb 15 at 6:06
add a comment |Â
It's come up a few times over on U&L e.g. Why can I cd to // but not /// or //// or ///// or …
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 1:51
@steeldriver Weird I got 5 points from U&L today on a closed question and was thinking I should be spending more time over there. Are you hinting these types of questions are best posted there instead of AU?
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Feb 15 at 1:56
IMHO it's a valid question here (although arguably more about POSIX than Ubuntu) - the U&L regulars may be better at the intricacies of these things
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 2:26
Incidentally, Zsh does not display the two slashes aftercd //, neither in the prompt nor inpwd.
– fkraiem
Feb 15 at 6:06
It's come up a few times over on U&L e.g. Why can I cd to // but not /// or //// or ///// or …
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 1:51
It's come up a few times over on U&L e.g. Why can I cd to // but not /// or //// or ///// or …
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 1:51
@steeldriver Weird I got 5 points from U&L today on a closed question and was thinking I should be spending more time over there. Are you hinting these types of questions are best posted there instead of AU?
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Feb 15 at 1:56
@steeldriver Weird I got 5 points from U&L today on a closed question and was thinking I should be spending more time over there. Are you hinting these types of questions are best posted there instead of AU?
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Feb 15 at 1:56
IMHO it's a valid question here (although arguably more about POSIX than Ubuntu) - the U&L regulars may be better at the intricacies of these things
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 2:26
IMHO it's a valid question here (although arguably more about POSIX than Ubuntu) - the U&L regulars may be better at the intricacies of these things
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 2:26
Incidentally, Zsh does not display the two slashes after
cd //, neither in the prompt nor in pwd.– fkraiem
Feb 15 at 6:06
Incidentally, Zsh does not display the two slashes after
cd //, neither in the prompt nor in pwd.– fkraiem
Feb 15 at 6:06
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
A second slash has no meaning and the proper behaviour is for the system to treat it as if it were a single slash.
Your shell is normalising the path so that it is shown without the additional slash in all cases except for one: when the path begins with just two slashes. The shell is preserving the second slash in this case according to POSIX standards which allow paths beginning with two slashes to have a special meaning defined by the context. In this context, however, there is no special meaning and it ends up being ignored even though the shell is preserving it.
2
POSIX requires that repeated slashes be treated as a single slash, except for the case of exactly two slashes at the start of a path (//fooas opposed to///fooor/foo//bar), where the leading//is left the system to interpret specially if needed (network shares on Windows, nodes on QNX, etc.).
– muru
Feb 15 at 5:46
Thanks for this information, I added to the answer and made it community wiki.
– thomasrutter
Feb 15 at 11:19
add a comment |Â
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
A second slash has no meaning and the proper behaviour is for the system to treat it as if it were a single slash.
Your shell is normalising the path so that it is shown without the additional slash in all cases except for one: when the path begins with just two slashes. The shell is preserving the second slash in this case according to POSIX standards which allow paths beginning with two slashes to have a special meaning defined by the context. In this context, however, there is no special meaning and it ends up being ignored even though the shell is preserving it.
2
POSIX requires that repeated slashes be treated as a single slash, except for the case of exactly two slashes at the start of a path (//fooas opposed to///fooor/foo//bar), where the leading//is left the system to interpret specially if needed (network shares on Windows, nodes on QNX, etc.).
– muru
Feb 15 at 5:46
Thanks for this information, I added to the answer and made it community wiki.
– thomasrutter
Feb 15 at 11:19
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
A second slash has no meaning and the proper behaviour is for the system to treat it as if it were a single slash.
Your shell is normalising the path so that it is shown without the additional slash in all cases except for one: when the path begins with just two slashes. The shell is preserving the second slash in this case according to POSIX standards which allow paths beginning with two slashes to have a special meaning defined by the context. In this context, however, there is no special meaning and it ends up being ignored even though the shell is preserving it.
2
POSIX requires that repeated slashes be treated as a single slash, except for the case of exactly two slashes at the start of a path (//fooas opposed to///fooor/foo//bar), where the leading//is left the system to interpret specially if needed (network shares on Windows, nodes on QNX, etc.).
– muru
Feb 15 at 5:46
Thanks for this information, I added to the answer and made it community wiki.
– thomasrutter
Feb 15 at 11:19
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
A second slash has no meaning and the proper behaviour is for the system to treat it as if it were a single slash.
Your shell is normalising the path so that it is shown without the additional slash in all cases except for one: when the path begins with just two slashes. The shell is preserving the second slash in this case according to POSIX standards which allow paths beginning with two slashes to have a special meaning defined by the context. In this context, however, there is no special meaning and it ends up being ignored even though the shell is preserving it.
A second slash has no meaning and the proper behaviour is for the system to treat it as if it were a single slash.
Your shell is normalising the path so that it is shown without the additional slash in all cases except for one: when the path begins with just two slashes. The shell is preserving the second slash in this case according to POSIX standards which allow paths beginning with two slashes to have a special meaning defined by the context. In this context, however, there is no special meaning and it ends up being ignored even though the shell is preserving it.
edited Feb 15 at 11:18
community wiki
2 revs
thomasrutter
2
POSIX requires that repeated slashes be treated as a single slash, except for the case of exactly two slashes at the start of a path (//fooas opposed to///fooor/foo//bar), where the leading//is left the system to interpret specially if needed (network shares on Windows, nodes on QNX, etc.).
– muru
Feb 15 at 5:46
Thanks for this information, I added to the answer and made it community wiki.
– thomasrutter
Feb 15 at 11:19
add a comment |Â
2
POSIX requires that repeated slashes be treated as a single slash, except for the case of exactly two slashes at the start of a path (//fooas opposed to///fooor/foo//bar), where the leading//is left the system to interpret specially if needed (network shares on Windows, nodes on QNX, etc.).
– muru
Feb 15 at 5:46
Thanks for this information, I added to the answer and made it community wiki.
– thomasrutter
Feb 15 at 11:19
2
2
POSIX requires that repeated slashes be treated as a single slash, except for the case of exactly two slashes at the start of a path (
//foo as opposed to ///foo or /foo//bar), where the leading // is left the system to interpret specially if needed (network shares on Windows, nodes on QNX, etc.).– muru
Feb 15 at 5:46
POSIX requires that repeated slashes be treated as a single slash, except for the case of exactly two slashes at the start of a path (
//foo as opposed to ///foo or /foo//bar), where the leading // is left the system to interpret specially if needed (network shares on Windows, nodes on QNX, etc.).– muru
Feb 15 at 5:46
Thanks for this information, I added to the answer and made it community wiki.
– thomasrutter
Feb 15 at 11:19
Thanks for this information, I added to the answer and made it community wiki.
– thomasrutter
Feb 15 at 11:19
add a comment |Â
It's come up a few times over on U&L e.g. Why can I cd to // but not /// or //// or ///// or …
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 1:51
@steeldriver Weird I got 5 points from U&L today on a closed question and was thinking I should be spending more time over there. Are you hinting these types of questions are best posted there instead of AU?
– WinEunuuchs2Unix
Feb 15 at 1:56
IMHO it's a valid question here (although arguably more about POSIX than Ubuntu) - the U&L regulars may be better at the intricacies of these things
– steeldriver
Feb 15 at 2:26
Incidentally, Zsh does not display the two slashes after
cd //, neither in the prompt nor inpwd.– fkraiem
Feb 15 at 6:06