support absolute path in .bowerrc directory option

lib/core/Manager.js

@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ var semver = require('../util/semver');
 var copy = require('../util/copy');
 var createError = require('../util/createError');
 var scripts = require('./scripts');
+var isPathAbsolute = require('../util/isPathAbsolute');
 
 function Manager(config, logger) {
     this._config = config;
@@ -124,7 +125,7 @@ Manager.prototype.resolve = function () {
 
 Manager.prototype.preinstall = function (json) {
     var that = this;
-    var componentsDir = path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
+    var componentsDir = isPathAbsolute(this._config.directory) ? this._config.directory : path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
 
     // If nothing to install, skip the code bellow
     if (mout.lang.isEmpty(that._dissected)) {
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ Manager.prototype.preinstall = function (json) {
 
 Manager.prototype.postinstall = function (json) {
     var that = this;
-    var componentsDir = path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
+    var componentsDir = isPathAbsolute(this._config.directory) ? this._config.directory : path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
 
     // If nothing to install, skip the code bellow
     if (mout.lang.isEmpty(that._dissected)) {
@@ -171,7 +172,7 @@ Manager.prototype.install = function (json) {
         return Q.resolve({});
     }
 
-    componentsDir = path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
+    componentsDir = isPathAbsolute(this._config.directory) ? this._config.directory : path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
     return Q.nfcall(mkdirp, componentsDir)
     .then(function () {
         var promises = [];

lib/core/Project.js

@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ var createError = require('../util/createError');
 var readJson = require('../util/readJson');
 var validLink = require('../util/validLink');
 var scripts = require('./scripts');
+var isPathAbsolute = require('../util/isPathAbsolute');
 
 function Project(config, logger) {
     this._config = config;
@@ -607,7 +608,7 @@ Project.prototype._readInstalled = function () {
 
     // Gather all folders that are actual packages by
     // looking for the package metadata file
-    componentsDir = path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
+    componentsDir = isPathAbsolute(this._config.directory) ? this._config.directory : path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
     return this._installed = Q.nfcall(glob, '*/.bower.json', {
         cwd: componentsDir,
         dot: true
@@ -648,7 +649,7 @@ Project.prototype._readLinks = function () {
     var that = this;
 
     // Read directory, looking for links
-    componentsDir = path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
+    componentsDir = isPathAbsolute(this._config.directory) ? this._config.directory : path.join(this._config.cwd, this._config.directory);
     return Q.nfcall(fs.readdir, componentsDir)
     .then(function (filenames) {
         var promises;

lib/util/isPathAbsolute.js

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+function isAbsolutePath(filePath) {
+    return filePath.charAt(0) === '/';
+}
+
+module.exports = isAbsolutePath;

test/commands/install.js

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ var expect = require('expect.js');
 var path = require('path');
 var helpers = require('../helpers');
 var nock = require('nock');
+var rimraf = require('rimraf');
 var fs = require('../../lib/util/fs');
 var tar = require('tar-fs');
 var destroy = require('destroy');
@@ -154,6 +155,37 @@ describe('bower install', function() {
         });
     });
 
+    it('.bowerrc directory can be an absolute path', function() {
+        mainPackage.prepare({
+            foo: 'bar'
+        });
+
+        tempDir.prepare({
+            '.bowerrc': {
+                directory: '/tmp/bower-absolute-destination-directory'
+            },
+            'bower.json': {
+                name: 'test',
+                dependencies: {
+                    package: mainPackage.path
+                }
+            }
+        });
+
+        return helpers.run(install).then(function() {
+            expect(require('fs').readFileSync('/tmp/bower-absolute-destination-directory/package/foo', 'utf8').toString()).to.be('bar');
+            var deferred = Q.defer();
+            rimraf('/tmp/bower-absolute-destination-directory', function(err) {
+                if(err) {
+                    deferred.reject(err);
+                } else {
+                    deferred.resolve();
+                }
+            });
+            return deferred;
+        });
+    });
+
     it('runs preinstall hook', function() {
         mainPackage.prepare();
 

test/util/index.js

@@ -2,4 +2,5 @@ describe('util', function () {
     require('./removeIgnores');
     require('./analytics');
     require('./download');
+    require('./isPathAbsolute');
 });

test/util/isPathAbsolute.js

@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+var expect = require('expect.js');
+var isPathAbsolute = require('../../lib/util/isPathAbsolute');
+
+describe('isPathAbsolute', function () {
+
+    it('returns true when a path begins with /', function() {
+        expect(isPathAbsolute('/tmp/foo')).to.be.ok();
+    });
+
+    it('returns false when a path does not begin with /', function() {
+        expect(isPathAbsolute('./tmp/foo')).to.not.be.ok();
+    });
+
+});