Lab1.1 - Adding PATH=... to .bashrc

Booby_trap

Hi all,

I want to be sure that I am proceeding the right way in Lab1.1 at the following point:

"Consequently, we suggest you add the following line to the .bashrc file in your home directory:

PATH=$PATH:/usr/sbin:/sbin"

Would it be alright to run the following command?

echo 'PATH=$PATH:/usr/sbin:/sbin' >> ~/.bashrc

Sorry I am not sure where to place this in the .bashrc file and if this would be correct?

Regards

Chris

 

 

labazza

it would work however:

1. most likely echo $PATH will show you that those paths are in the variable already.

2. you could end up with multiple path declarations since you blidly aappending it to the end of the file.

3. $PATH should be added in ~/.bash_profile  or /etc/profile as it is an envionment variable

Booby_trap

Thanks for the reply. I am still a bit confused however.

To point 1: You are correct. The variables /usr/sbin and /sbin are already in $PATH. So do I need to do anything at all?

To point 2: I am running Ubuntu 16.04 and I can't find ~/.bash_profile. There is only ~/bashrc,~/.bash_history and ~/.bash_logout. If I use /etc/profile, which I could find, can I append it as in echo 'PATH=$PATH:/usr/sbin:/sbin' >> /etc/profile.

coop

it is not harmful to have the same directory show up twice in $PATH ; this happens often from not the best written scripts.  It is poissible to use "pathmunge" to avoid this, but that is a more advanced detail.  Second, I woujld advice not doing anything like echo "something" >> ~/.bashrc ; it is too easy to screw up .  Where the PATH=something:$PATH goes doesn't matter in .bashrc.  Third you can usually ignore .bash_profile and just use .bashrc.  Fourth, if you modify .bashrc it has no effect until you logout and in, or just say "bash" and start a new shell