setting the path

anjan · 05-28-2003, 08:53 AM

Hi,
I have a package installed in my Desktop folder. However the commands in the package have to be specified as ./command. Which probably means that I need to add the package to the PATH name. How do I about changing the pathname and more importantly in which file do I change the pathname? Tried changing the csh.login but wasnot allowed to.

Will appreciate any input.

Thanks.

Anjan

yellow · 05-28-2003, 09:23 AM

Rather than adding your Desktop Folder to your path, you might want to consider putting this "package" someplace more approriate for a UNIX file system.. someplace like /usr/local/bin/. Of course, then you have do add that to your path. I use a .login (stored in your home directory, it is invoked each time you open a new shell) to change my path. Just coppy /etc/csh.login to your home directory and call it .login. Here is my .login:

Code:

setenv PATH "/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sw/bin:/sw/sbin:/usr/X11R6/bin"

anjan · 05-28-2003, 09:44 AM

Thanks yellow , that worked fine. My question. Now the computer has two .login files : one in /etc dir and one in my home directory. Will that screw things up?

Anjan

yellow · 05-28-2003, 09:49 AM

Nope.. by default it'll look at your home directory first and ignore anything else. If nothing exists there, it goes to the global .login in /etc

anjan · 05-28-2003, 09:53 AM

thank you once again.

java_guy · 05-28-2003, 08:41 PM

You can also add . to your path which basically allows you to run things that are in your current working directory.

example:
if you had to do this before....

./someScript.sh

you can simply do
somScript.sh

after you add . to your path.

mervTormel · 05-28-2003, 08:47 PM

a dot in the path is ill-advised; a known security exploitation.

explicit directories in the path, please.

java_guy · 05-29-2003, 11:12 AM

Merv,
Can you elaborate? First I've heard of adding . being a security risk.

mervTormel · 05-29-2003, 11:48 AM

see sidebar "Stealing Superuser" in section "4.3.5 Using su with Caution":

http://www.soldierx.com/books/networ...is/ch04_03.htm

4.3.5 references chapter 11, and in the book here, "PATH attacks" (missing from the online version) urges all accounts to be wary of this PATH exploit by not having empty (::) or current dir (:.:) in the path.

java_guy · 05-29-2003, 01:42 PM

Cool. Thanks!

05-28-2003, 08:53 AM	#1
anjan Triple-A Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 66	setting the path Hi, I have a package installed in my Desktop folder. However the commands in the package have to be specified as ./command. Which probably means that I need to add the package to the PATH name. How do I about changing the pathname and more importantly in which file do I change the pathname? Tried changing the csh.login but wasnot allowed to. Will appreciate any input. Thanks. Anjan __________________ ANJAN PURKAYASTHA

05-28-2003, 09:23 AM	#2
yellow Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 10,677	Rather than adding your Desktop Folder to your path, you might want to consider putting this "package" someplace more approriate for a UNIX file system.. someplace like /usr/local/bin/. Of course, then you have do add that to your path. I use a .login (stored in your home directory, it is invoked each time you open a new shell) to change my path. Just coppy /etc/csh.login to your home directory and call it .login. Here is my .login: Code: setenv PATH "/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sw/bin:/sw/sbin:/usr/X11R6/bin"

05-28-2003, 09:44 AM	#3
anjan Triple-A Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 66	thanks Thanks yellow , that worked fine. My question. Now the computer has two .login files : one in /etc dir and one in my home directory. Will that screw things up? Anjan __________________ ANJAN PURKAYASTHA

05-28-2003, 09:53 AM	#5
anjan Triple-A Player Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 66	thank you once again. __________________ ANJAN PURKAYASTHA

05-28-2003, 08:47 PM	#7
mervTormel League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 5,536	a dot in the path is ill-advised; a known security exploitation. explicit directories in the path, please. __________________ On a clear disk, you can seek forever.

05-28-2003, 09:49 AM	#4
yellow Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 10,677	Nope.. by default it'll look at your home directory first and ignore anything else. If nothing exists there, it goes to the global .login in /etc

05-28-2003, 08:41 PM	#6
java_guy Major Leaguer Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 288	You can also add . to your path which basically allows you to run things that are in your current working directory. example: if you had to do this before.... ./someScript.sh you can simply do somScript.sh after you add . to your path.

05-29-2003, 11:12 AM	#8
java_guy Major Leaguer Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 288	Merv, Can you elaborate? First I've heard of adding . being a security risk.

05-29-2003, 11:48 AM	#9
mervTormel League Commissioner Join Date: Jan 2002 Posts: 5,536	trojan horse see sidebar "Stealing Superuser" in section "4.3.5 Using su with Caution": http://www.soldierx.com/books/networ...is/ch04_03.htm 4.3.5 references chapter 11, and in the book here, "PATH attacks" (missing from the online version) urges all accounts to be wary of this PATH exploit by not having empty (::) or current dir (:.:) in the path. __________________ On a clear disk, you can seek forever.

05-29-2003, 01:42 PM	#10
java_guy Major Leaguer Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 288	Cool. Thanks!