Add to path

Kb3lnp · 10-26-2013, 03:52 PM

Question about slackware 14, where do you make changes to the PATH, I want to add /home/bin starting to learn script programming and I want to store my programs in bin and execucute them from my home directory. I tried to use export PATH =PATH:/home/bin that did not work.

Robhogg · 10-26-2013, 04:04 PM

It would need to be export PATH=${PATH}:/home/bin - in the shell, you use the variable name (naked) to assign, but you need the $ symbol to access the variable's value.

If you wanted to make the change permanent, you could add the statement to the .profile file in your home directory.

camorri · 10-26-2013, 04:04 PM

I think you are missing a $ in front of the second PATH. Try this:

Quote:

PATH =$PATH:/home/bin

That will set it temporarily. To make it permanent, add the line to your ~.bashrc file.

Test it first. Then add it to .bashrc.

BroX · 10-26-2013, 04:04 PM

Syntax should be

Code:

export PATH=$PATH:/home/bin

and you can add it to ~/.bashrc

If that file does not exist yet, you should create it, and add the following to it:

Code:

# .bashrc

# User specific aliases and functions

# Source global definitions
if [ -f /etc/bashrc ]; then
	. /etc/bashrc
fi

export PATH=$PATH:/home/bin

sycamorex · 10-26-2013, 04:06 PM

You can put it in ~/.bashrc

Remember two things:
1. There are no spaces in bash variable assignments.
2. When you refer to a previously assigned variable you need to put the dollar sign in front of it
3. I think you've forgotten to specify which user's home directory you are referring to.
So:

Code:

export PATH:$PATH:/home/user/bin

edit: too late

saulgoode · 10-26-2013, 05:09 PM

I like to make sure that I don't add the directory if it is already there:

Code:

if [ ! $(echo $PATH|grep $HOME/bin) ]; then
          export PATH=$HOME/bin:$PATH
fi

I also recommend placing your $HOME/bin directory first in the path, so you can override or change the defaults of system commands.