Changing Your csh Path

Changing Your `csh` Path

The path statement tells the shell where to look for commands, scripts, and programs. So if you issue a command, the path statement tells the system to look for the command in the named directories in a specific order. As the following steps show, you change your csh path by first identifying where your path statement is located, then editing the file that contains it ( Code Listing 8.19 ).

Code Listing 8.19. Use `grep` to find the path statement in your configuration files.

xmission> grep -i path ~/.cshrc ~/.login
.cshrc:set path = (/usr/local/bin /usr/

local/bin/X11 /usr/openwin/bin

/usr/bin)
xmission>

To change your `csh` path:

grep -i path ~/.cshrc ~/.login

To begin, list the configuration files located in your home directory and in the /etc directory. Look through your system configuration files for a path statement. As Code Listing 8.19 shows, it'll look something like set path = (/usr/local/bin /usr/local/bin/X11 /usr/openwin/bin /usr/bin) . If you have more than one path statement, find the last one executed.

cp ~/.cshrc ~/.cshrc.backup

Make a copy of the file containing the path statement so that you can recover if you make mistakes. See Chapter 2 if you need more information on copying files.

vi .cshrc

Use the editor of your choice to edit the file with the path statement in it.

set path = (/usr/local/bin /usr/bin

/usr/ucb /usr/etc /home/users/e/

ejray/bin)

Edit the path statement to add the full path to the bin subdirectory in your home directory, as shown in Figure 8.6 .

Figure 8.6. Edit your path statement to add your home directory.

Save the file and exit from your editor. Refer to Chapter 4 for help if you need it.

Code Listing 8.20. Here's your new path statement!

xmission>

echo $path

/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:>/usr/ucb:

/usr/etc:/home/users/e/ejray/in
xmission>

su - yourid

As you learned back in Chapter 3, this command starts a new login shell so you can test your changes before logging out.

echo $path

Display the current path environment variable. This should include the addition you just made. Lo and behold! There it is! (See Code Listing 8.20 .)

Changing Your `csh` Prompt

Your system's default prompt might be just a dollar sign ( $ ) or perhaps a dollar sign and date, or other information as outlined in the Setting Your csh Prompt Promptly sidebar. You can change this prompt using the following steps. You start by finding your prompt statement ( Code Listing 8.21 ), then modifying it in your editor ( Figure 8.7 ).

Figure 8.7. Edit your prompt to include the details you want.

To change your `csh` prompt:

grep prompt ~/. cshrc ~/.login

To begin, list the configuration files located in your home directory and in the /etc directory. Look through your system configuration files for your prompt statement. It'll look something like set prompt="> " or set prompt="'hostname'> " . It's likely in your .cshrc file, as shown in Code Listing 8.21.

The Setting Your csh Prompt Promptly sidebar will help you translate this code.

vi .cshrc

Use the editor of your choice to edit the configuration file with the prompt setting in it.

set prompt="$LOGNAME > "

Set your prompt to something more suitable, as shown in Figure 8.7.

Code Listing 8.21. The prompt statement will likely be in your `.cshrc` file.

xmission>

grep prompt ~/.cshrc ~/.login

/home/users/e/ejray/.cshrc:if ($?USER == 0  $?prompt == 0) exit
/home/users/e/ejray/.cshrc:set prompt="'hostname'> "
/home/users/e/ejray/.login: exit     # leave user at regular C shell prompt
xmission>

Save the file and exit from the editor.

su - yourid

Log in again to try it out ( Code Listing 8.22 ).

Tip

Note the trailing space in the prompt code: set prompt="$LOGNAME > " . This extra space makes the prompt easier to use.

Setting Your `csh` Prompt Promptly

You can set your csh prompt to contain some types of information, but not as many as the bash or zsh prompts. The following list shows you what code to use to add certain kinds of information to your prompt (as well as help you translate the code in your existing prompt):

$LOGNAME shows the userid of the current userthat's you.
' uname -n'% shows the host name of the computer

Code Listing 8.22. Test out your new prompt to see if you like it.

xmission>

su - ejray

Password:
Sun Microsystems Inc.   SunOS 5.5.1Generic May 1996
You have mail.
NOTE! As of 7/15/98, "tin" has been backed out its prior version.  NNTP
    support was compiled in directly as well.  We hope that this will
    stabilize its problems.

___________________________________________________________________
   General questions email to "help" or "help@xmission.com".
   Problems with the system mail to "support" or "support@xmission.com".

   Type "acctstat" for a summary of your current account information.
   Type "quota -v" to view your existing disk quota.
   Type "help" for a list of online programs or "menu" for the assisted menu.
ejray>