How to change directory in Emacs dired

Question

In dired+ in Emacs 23.2.1, how do I navigate to a different directory ("change directory")?

I know how to move up a directory with ^ and how to move to different directory lines with < and >, but I have been unable to find a command which allows me to navigate to a new directory (by typing in the name) without quiting the current dired window and creating a new one.

Answer 1

C-x C-v will open a file in the current window. If instead of a file you give the name of a directory it will open it in dired.

Answer 2

You can also use a in dired to visit the file/dir at point, discarding the dired buffer you were in, so you don't leave all the ancestor dired buffers around.

And if you use dired-jump, then C-x C-j can be used from dired or file buffers to jump to the parent directory (with point conveniently on the file/directory that you came from).

M-: (info "(dired-x) Optional Installation Dired Jump") RET