; docformat = 'rst'
;
; NAME:
;    DIR_EXIST
; PURPOSE:
;    This function tests for the presence of a directory.
;
;+
; :Description:
;    This function tests for the presence of a directory.
;
; :Categories:
;    Disk I/O
;    
; :Params:
;    DIR:  in, required, type=string
;        String holding the name of the directory you want to test
;        the existence of. 
;
; :Returns: This function returns 1 if the specified directory exists or
;    0 if the specified directory does NOT exist.
;
; :Examples:
;    To check the existence of a '/TMP' directory type::
;      IDL > iss = DIR_EXIST('/TMP')
;      IDL > if (iss eq 1) then print,'TMP directory EXISTs.' $
;            else print,'TMP directory does NOT exist.'
;
; :Author:
;    Han Wen, Copied from !News TECH TIPS
;
; :History:
;     Change History::
;        Written in June 1995, Han Wen
;        2013-Nov.: B.Carry (IMCCE) - IdlDoc Header
;-
function DIR_EXIST, DIR

 ;--I-- Save Current Directory
  CD, CUR=cur

 ;--II-- An error will occur if we cd to DIR and it doesn't exist
  CATCH, error_status
  if (error_status NE 0) then return, 0
  
 ;--III-- Try to cd to DIR
  CD, dir

 ;--IV-- If DIR exists, cd back to Current Directory
  CD, cur
  return, 1

end