Question

I want to compare 2 files with the same name in different directories.
$1 and $2 are 2 directories. I can check if there are same name files, but then i don’t know how to get the 2nd file..

cd $1
    for i in `ls`
do
if [ -f $2/$i ]
then
    echo "find it in another directory"

    GET THE OTHER FILE IN $2, THEN COMPARE THEM

    cmp -s $i THE OTHER FILE
    if [ $? = 0 ]
        echo "they are same"
    else
        echo "they are different"
    fi
fi
done

Answer 1

Simplest problem would be spaces in the args – easy to fix, just quote $1 and $2

if [ -f "$2/$i" ]

But I suspect the problem is that you are CDing into $1, which means $2 is invalid (if it is a relative path)

Solution1) Use absolute paths (e.g. /staff/bathpp/stuff/dir2)

Solution2) If you are expecting relative paths, then grab the current dir before jumping.

origDir=`pwd`
...
path2="$origDir/$path2"

Personally I’d to some checks so it worked for both.