Setting your paths in .profile?

merlingt1 · 04-27-2006, 07:45 AM

Hi guys,

I bet this has been asked before but I am having no luck finding it, probably because I am not even sure what to look for.

I have an executable that is let's say in folder /A but I am trying to run it from folder /B which is where I have my input files to the executable file. I believe I need to edit my .profile but what exactly should I search for so that I can do this? is it paths?

Many thanks!
~Irian

satinet · 04-27-2006, 08:00 AM

yes,

you need to add folder "/A" to your path if you wish scripts/apps there to be executed from anywhere.

this is my path right now:

PATH=$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/ops:/opt/samba/bin

so if this was your path it would become:

PATH=$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/ops:/opt/samba/bin:/A

hope that helps....

if you don't have a .profile or no paths create one and put a line in like above.

e.g. PATH=$PATH:/A

timmeke · 04-27-2006, 09:45 AM

The file .profile goes into your home directory.
To find if it's there, use "ls -a" or "ls -la" on your home directory,
ie

Code:

ls -la /home/you

If you want the same setting for all users on the system (instead of just your user), you can "su" to root
and put the same PATH=$PATH:/A stuff in /etc/profile instead of your .profile.

merlingt1 · 04-27-2006, 11:05 AM

satinet and timmeke -I appreciate the help. But I am still having trouble with it.

This is exactly what I have on my .profile

PATH=$PATH:/ssdldsk/tools/bin/IRIX/

the executable is located in: /ssdldsk/tools/bin/IRIX/
and the folder I am working from is: /ssdldsk/irian

After editing it I used "source .profile" to load it (correct me if wrong) and when I do this it gives me a "Variable syntax" message.

satinet · 04-27-2006, 11:07 AM

source?

you just log out and back in again to load your profile........

merlingt1 · 04-27-2006, 11:09 AM

I tried that too and still didnt work

slackmagic · 04-27-2006, 11:12 AM

actually merlingt1 is right :P

source is a nice tool that allows you to immediately make use of any changes made to your .bashrc without having to "logout"

I just recently discovered it myself and can't stop using it now - especially after tinkering with my .bashrc

satinet · 04-27-2006, 11:12 AM

what's the output of "echo $PATH"??

merlingt1 · 04-27-2006, 11:14 AM

the output is

/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin

satinet · 04-27-2006, 11:14 AM

i did not know that! thanks.......

satinet · 04-27-2006, 11:16 AM

so it's not working.

is your .profile in the right place and with the right permissions?

maybe show the output of "ls -l ~/.profile"

and your whole profile......

what distro or unix version are you using?

merlingt1 · 04-27-2006, 11:20 AM

This is my .profile permissions: -rw-r--r--
should it be executable?

my .profile is in the home directory of my user account, which is the folder I am trying to run it from.... /ssdldsk/irian

Not sure what distro it is though.

satinet · 04-27-2006, 11:25 AM

did you modify or create the file?

maybe your linux/unix isn't using this file......

merlingt1 · 04-27-2006, 11:27 AM

it was already there, I only modified it.

satinet · 04-27-2006, 11:40 AM

sounds like your PATH is being set elsewhere.

what other "." files are in the home directory?