Editing $PATH on SUSE 10.1

jCash · 02-15-2007, 10:24 AM

I have multiple python installed. Version 2.4 and 2.5. I add same path twice to $PATH.
I want to edit $PATH, so I can erase the same stuff I added. How do I do this. In the path I have
home/me/bin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin. Python2.5 is in /usr/local/bin and Python2.4 is in /usr/bin. I need to set it so python2.4 is my preferred choice.

Guttorm · 02-15-2007, 10:43 AM

Hi

Just put /usr/bin before /usr/local/bin in the PATH. When you type some command, it looks in all directories in the PATH starting from left to right - that's why you get the one in /usr/local/bin.

export PATH="/usr/bin:$PATH"
- it doesn't matter if you put a directory twice in the PATH, it only get's a little bit slower.

jCash · 02-15-2007, 12:40 PM

"Just put /usr/bin before /usr/local/bin in the PATH." How? How do I edit the "PATH", where is it located? I understand I need to put /usr/bin before /usr/local/bin. But I don't know know. When I do export, it just appends to the end.

nx5000 · 02-15-2007, 02:10 PM

The PATH is an environment variable.
They are initially set in
/etc/profile -> for all users
or ~/.profile -> for one user
or ~/.bash_profile -> for one user that uses bash

Look in these files, probably that some PATH modifications are already done.

jCash · 02-15-2007, 02:41 PM

what is this "~"?

"or ~/.profile -> for one user"
Do I go to /home/username/.profile?

or ~/.bash_profile -> for one user that uses bash
Do I go /home/username/.bash_profile ?

nx5000 · 02-15-2007, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jCash

what is this "~"?

~ is equivalent to $HOME, so probably /home/username

Quote:

"or ~/.profile -> for one user"
Do I go to /home/username/.profile?

or ~/.bash_profile -> for one user that uses bash
Do I go /home/username/.bash_profile ?

Yes.
I just had a look at my suse 10.2 and you can either put it in /etc/profile for all users or
/home/user/.profile for one single user

Put the line at the end
You have to restart your window manager so that changes apply. Because it's an environment variable, read and set once per session.