Hi Guys,

Isn't a ./bash_profile created in debian lenny at start up ?
I know that I have a /etc/profile but isn't that more system specific as opposed to user specific?
I don't even have a bashrc file but a bash.bashrc file.
What is the difference between the two ?
I need to add a few lines in my profile but I am really confused as to where.
Shall I just create ./bash_profile or inputing the few lines I have to input would sort me out?

Cheers Guys,

Riganta

1) The files in /etc are system-wide settings, so they get loaded first. Files in a user's home directory apply only to that user, and get applied later, overriding the ones from /etc if necessary.

2) /etc/profile is the non-bash-specific login shell config. It will be read by all shells when you log directly into a system, such as when you switch to a terminal with crtl+alt+FN as opposed to calling up a console window. A standard procedure is to have the profile import your bashrc so you can have your bash settings available there too.

3) /etc/bashrc is only directly loaded by non-login shells. /etc/bash.bashrc is just Debian's way of naming the file. It's the same thing. Most people keep their system-wide aliases and settings here.

4) The file you're looking for is not "./bash_profile", it's "~/.bash_profile", a hidden file inside the home directory. Notice the period is at the beginning of the filename, not the directory separator. ./filename simply points to a file in the current directory. You need to use the "ls -a" option to see hidden files in the shell. .bash_profile is a user-level configuration for login shells. Mine contains this:
Notice the line that will import ~/.bashrc contents if that file exists.

5) So to make a long story short, if you want your settings to be systemwide, the best option is to put them in /etc/bash.bashrc, and make sure they're sourced in /etc/profile. Similarly, if you want them for the current user only, put them in ~/.bashrc and source that file in your ~/.bash_profile.

I did check within my home directory and found a ~/.bashrc but didn't find any ~/.bash_profile. I have added my lines in ~/.bashrc. As you said, ~/.bashrc is supposed to be source by ~/.bash_profile. Since I don't have one, it would make sense for me to create one, but I am not sure that is right way to do it in Debian ?

to make it a bit clearer, I have an app that needs to find java on my eeepc on order to run.
I ran java -version --> it did tell me that I had java install 'java version 1.5.0'
then i found out where it was installed with which java --> /usr/bin/java
so I figured that the app couldn't find it in my profile (user specific) --> the error message of the app is 'check your installation and use +javahome to specify the JDK or JRE location'

then I added the lines in ~/.bashrc as followed
export JAVA_HOME=/usr/bin/java
export PATH=$PATH:/usr/bin/java

I logged out and back in and checked with echo $JAVA_HOME and echo $PATH --> but nothing

So two questions come to my mind. Is it because I haven't source ~/.bashrc in ~/.bash_profile ? and/or do I have to uninstalled my version of Java and install the version on the Java website ?

Riganta

If you don't have a ~/.bash_profile but have a ~/.profile script, then ~/.profile will be run instead. Read the beginning of "info bash". The alterate login scripts, .bashprofile, .profile and .bash_login are mentioned near the beginning. Only one is used but one may source another. /etc/profile and ~/.profile are run when you log in. The ~/.bashrc script is run when you start up a new subshell. Commands like "PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/bin" are better in ~/.profile rather than ~/.bashrc so that they run only once.

Be sure to check which startup scripts you have. Check them all, ~/.bashrc, ~/.bash_login, ~/.bash_profile and see which you have and check which has precedence.

If you can run "/bin/bash" and then you see PATH is "/usr/bin/java", then the problem is that your login script isn't sourcing .bashrc when you login.

However, it is odd that you don't have anything defined for PATH. It should have /bin/ and /usr/bin/ in the path. Check that you don't have a space after the "=" sign in the command. It would be interpreted as two commands,
PATH=
$PATH:/usr/local/bin
which would probably cause an error. But the first "PATH= " would clear the PATH variable.

when I do a ls -a in my home directory, this is what I get

.profile: executed by bourne compatible login shell
script:
if [ "$BASH" ]; then
if [ -f -/.basshrc ]; then
.~/.bashrc
fi
fi

mesg n

would that mean that basically when .profile is launched, it sources .~/.bashrc ?
what would the mesg n means ?

.bashrc: executed by bash for non-login shells
script:
export PS1='\h:\w\$ '
unmask 022
export LS_OPTIONS='--color=auto'
eval "`dircolors`"
alias ls='ls $LS_OPTIONS'
alias ll='ls $LS_OPTIONS -l'
alias l='ls $LS_OPTIONS -lA'

alias rm='rm -i'
alias cp='cp -i'
alias mv='mv -i'

export PATH
JAVA_HOME="/usr/bin/java"
export JAVA_HOME

I have added those three last lines for my apps to work with Java and for PATH but with no success
the reason why I added those lines below is that when I ran 'update-alternatives --config java' i found out that my system was using java with PATH as follow '/usr/lib/jvm/java-gcj/jre/bin/java'. So I created a simlink of that into /usr/lib/java that I placed in ~./bashrc.

Do I have to delete those lines in ~./bashrc since they don't make any difference anyways ?
In many post, I have seen people ditching java included in Debian Lenny for the one on Java website. I wouldn't want to use the one on the Java website but since nothing else as worked... I might as well give it a try.

/etc/profile: system wide .profile file for the Bourne shell and Bourne compatible shell
script:
if [ "`id -u`" -eq 0 ]; then
PATH="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/games"
fi

if [ "$PS1 ]; then
if [ "$BASH" ]; then
PS1='\u@\h:\w\$ '
else
if [ "`id -u`" -eq 0 ]; then
PS1='# '
else
PS1='$ '
fi
fi
fi

export PATH
JAVA_HOME="/usr/lib/java"
export JAVA_HOME

unmask 022

again, I added the lines for Java in /etc/profile since the ones in ~./bashrc didn't work out, but I don't really if that was the right way.

I am kind of lost at sea here. I am sure that there is a more simple way to make my apps find the path to Java. I thought by using JAVA_HOME I would be sorted but that is not the case. I know that I am not understanding the full picture here and I would surely appreciate some more help.

I thank you all and without you guys I wouldn't be able to move forward at all.

Riganta

Your .profile script has a typo. Since ~/.basshrc doesn't exist, ~/.bashrc isn't being sourced when you log in.
Try starting a subshell (as in running konsole or xterm) and see if it runs then.

Your /etc/profile script only sets the PATH variable for the root user.
Also the paths added aren't right. Root should have /sbin and /usr/sbin/ it it's path.

Did you rewrite /etc/profile? On some systems, there is an /etc/profile.d/ directory that contains scripts to run for the respective shells. Also, sometimes, the system expects you to leave /etc/profile alone and let it source /etc/profile.local instead.

I don't know what package would have supplied the initial /etc/profile file. On mine it is aaa_base, which may be a traditional name. You might want to find the package and extract the /etc/profile script it has.

No, I have not rewrite /etc/profile. I have fixed the typo in ./profile (thanks)

I have downloaded JAVA from the JAVA website and now I cannot even seem to install that version as well
When I run the command " fakeroot make-jpkg jre-6ull-linux-i586.bin" i get the error 'the file doesn't exists' --> I am a non root user

I am really with the java app. Anyone has any idea, that would be much appreciated

Riganta

Hi Guys,

I have finally succeeded in making my app find the path to Java binaries
all I did is add the path 'usr/lib/jvm/java-6-openjdk/jre/bin'
to my PATH in /etc/profile. So, that is sorted, but now the app start and stops and I get a very specific error message that says
'Exception in thread "main" java.awt.HeadlessException:
No X11 DISPLAY variable set, but this program performed an operation which requires it'

any insight is much appreciated.

Thank you

Riganta

I finally got it working fine. I am quite relief and the answer was insanely straightforward.
- still in /etc/profile, I have two PATH(s)
one that says

'PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin'

I did input my path to Java in there but that didn't work very well. Then I paid attention to the one below that says
else

'PATH='/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/games:$PATH:/usr/lib/jvm/java-6-openjdk/jre/bin

et voila, it works perfectly

Thank you Guys for your help

I finally got it working fine. I am quite relief and the answer was insanely straightforward.
- still in /etc/profile, I have two PATH(s)
one that says

'PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin'

I did input my path to Java in there but that didn't work very well. Then I paid attention to the one below that says
else

'PATH='/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/games:$PATH:/usr/lib/jvm/java-6-openjdk/jre/bin

et voila, it works perfectly

Thank you Guys for your help