Calling python from bash, how to change python working dir?

Question

I have a bash script that goes like this :

# gets all relevant files in the directory
cp ../update_files/* ./transfer_dir

# copy the python scripts to that directory
cp ../tools/update_tool/* ./transfer_dir

# execute the python scripts 
python ./transfer_dir/merge.py

Now the problem is that when I try to execute the python script, it seens that the "working directory" is ., and not ./transfer_dir and I can't file the update_files copied earlier

How can I change that? I don't want to modify my python scripts too much since they are mostly location agnostic.

Answer 1

Use cd:

cd transfer_dir
# execute the python scripts 
python merge.py
# restore old directory
cd ..                         

Answer 2

1. you can change the path in the bash script @see ubuntus answer change working dir via bash

2. you can change the working directory in the script itself

   import os

   os.chdir("transfer_dir")

I would recommend to use solution 1, just added 2. for completenes.