[SOLVED] Adding a path variable

suicidaleggroll · 05-30-2012, 03:20 PM

Remember to either log out and back in, or source the $HOME/.bashrc file before trying to use the updated PATH.

Code:

source $HOME/.bashrc

or simply

source ~/.bashrc

If you run "echo $PATH", it should print out your new directory as well as the others if you've done it correctly. The output posted above does not show this new location as part of the PATH, so make sure you're exporting it (you seem to be), and that you source it (or log out and back in) before trying to use it.

You'll need to adjust the directory location in the alias as well if you want to go that route, it's still pointing to "$HOME/rich/". The alias would also need to point to the script itself, not the directory:

Code:

alias ndk-build="$HOME/X/Development/Android/android-ndk-r8/ndk-build"

Remember, the PATH tells the machine "when I type the name of any program, look in these directories until you find it". Meanwhile, "alias A=B" tells the machine "when I type A, what I really mean is B". You only need one or the other, both would be redundant.

colucix · 05-30-2012, 03:33 PM

Actually the command echo $PATH revealed that .bashrc was ignored. Now we have to deepen into this, which is the main topic of this thread. Please (be patient) can you post the output of the following commands?

Code:

echo $SHELL
echo $0

Then you can try to put an echo statement in every (dot)file you have in your home directory and which is supposed to be sourced every time you start a new shell session. For example, add

Code:

echo this is .profile

in $HOME/.profile,

Code:

echo this is .bash_profile

in $HOME/.bash_profile and so on. I admit this is a crude way to debug, but it is in my opinion the only and effective way to be conscious of which file(s) are actually sourced by your shell.

fidian · 05-30-2012, 04:47 PM

You may get some benefit from this page: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/EnvironmentVariables

It goes over the various files that could set environment variables. For me, the .pam_environment file did the trick and let me run ndk-build from eclipse by putting it into the path of my window manager, not just putting it in the path for bash.

Taylrl · 06-02-2012, 11:51 AM

Thanks! With your help I have finally managed to crack it.

Cheers for all your help people!

colucix · 06-02-2012, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Taylrl

Thanks! With your help I have finally managed to crack it.

Just out of curiosity, how did you end up?

Taylrl · 06-02-2012, 02:08 PM

I added

Code:

alias ndk-build="$HOME/X/Development/Android/android-ndk-r8/ndk-build"

to my /.bashrc file. It seems very simple now, but then it's always simply when you know how I guess!