How to add a directory to my path?

Question

How do I add a directory to my $PATH in Ubuntu and make the changes permanent?

Answer 1

A path set in .bash_profile will only be set in a bash login shell (bash -l). If you put your path in .profile it will be available to your complete desktop session. That means even metacity will use it.

For example ~/.profile:

if [ -d "$HOME/bin" ] ; then
  PATH="$PATH:$HOME/bin"
fi

Btw, you can check the PATH variable of a process by looking at its environment in /proc/[pid]/environ. (replace [pid] with the number from ps axf)

Answer 2

edit .bashrc in your home directory and add the following line:

export PATH=/path/to/dir:$PATH

You will need to source your .bashrc or logout/login (or restart the terminal) for the changes to take effect.

To source your .bashrc, simply type

$ source .bashrc

when in the home directory.

Answer 3

I think the better way in idealogy of Ubuntu is create new file under /etc/profile.d/

sudo vi /etc/profile.d/SCRIPT_NAME.sh

add there

export PATH=YOUR_PATH_WITHOUT_TRAILING_SLASH:$PATH

and give right on executable

sudo chmod a+x /etc/profile.d/SCRIPT_NAME.sh

sorry for Bad English.

Answer 4

For complete newbies (like I am) who are more comfortable with GUI:

1. Open your HOME folder
2. Go to View > Show Hidden Files or press Ctrl + H
3. Right click on .profile and click on Open With Text Editor
4. Scroll to the bottom and add PATH="$PATH:/my/path/foo"
5. Save
6. Log out and log back in to apply changes (let Ubuntu actually load .profile)

Answer 5

To set it system wide, append the line export PATH=/path/you're/adding:$PATH to the end of /etc/profile.

To add the directory for only the logged-in user, append the same line to ~/.bash_profile.

Answer 6

Adding it to .bashrc will work but I think the more traditional way of setting up your path variables is in .bash_profile by adding the following lines.

PATH=$PATH:/my/path/foo
export PATH

According to this thread it appears as though Ubuntu's behavior is slightly different than RedHat and clones.

Answer 7

sudo vi /etc/profile.d/SCRIPT_NAME.sh

add there

export PATH=YOUR_PATH_WITHOUT_TRAILING_SLASH:$PATH

Answer 8

Whenever I "install" my folder of BASH scripts, I follow the pattern of the test for a $HOME/bin folder that's in most .profile files in recent versions of Ubuntu. I set a test that looks like

if [ -d "/usr/scripts" ]; then
   PATH="/usr/scripts:$PATH"
fi

It works just about 100% of the time, and leaves me free to change it in a GUI text editor with a quick "Replace all" should I ever decide to move /scripts somewhere closer to my $HOME folder. I haven't done so in 6 Ubuntu installs, but there's "always tomorrow." S

BZT

Answer 9

For Ubuntu edit the ~/.bashrc and add the following line.

. ~/.bash_profile

Then edit your .bash_profile as you need.....