cd flibbleflob/.. works when it shouldn't

[David Jones]

Consider the script:

    cd flibbleflob/.. 2> /dev/null || echo splat

(Assuming that the flibbleflob directory does not exist) the 'cd' should fail and so "splat" should be sent to stdout. And on bash it is:

    bash -c 'cd flibbleflob/.. 2> /dev/null || echo splat'
    splat

But with dash, no output:

    dash -c 'cd flibbleflob/.. 2> /dev/null || echo splat'

disappoint.

drj$ lsb_release -rd
Description: Ubuntu 13.04
Release: 13.04

drj$ apt-cache policy dash
dash:
  Installed: 0.5.7-3ubuntu1
  Candidate: 0.5.7-3ubuntu1
  Version table:
 *** 0.5.7-3ubuntu1 0
        500 http://gb.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ raring/main amd64 Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Richard Hansen (rhansen)]

See <http://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/utilities/cd.html>, specifically step 8.b.ii.

[David Jones (drj)]

#2 I read 8.b.ii. Right after I read 8.b.i which says:

"""
If the preceding component does not refer (in the context of pathname resolution with symbolic links followed) to a directory, then the cd utility shall display an appropriate error message and no further steps shall be taken.
"""

So my interpretation is that POSIX mandates an error in this case.