Setting the PATH (was:netpbm vs. pbmplus)

["brian (b.c.) white" <bcwhite@bnr.ca>]

>Since the alternative is trying to figure out a new scheme for
>dynamically modifying the default path, and then having a devil of a
>job getting it into every path-setting program, I think this is
>clearly the best solution.

If you had a file like /etc/path.default with a line like:
/usr/bin:/bin:  (etc., etc.)

thet it should be easy for every path to fetch this since the format
of an env variable is fixed.

sh: (/etc/profile)
PATH=`cat /etc/path.default`; export PATH

csh: (/etc/csh.login)
setev PATH `cat /etc/path.default`


This brings to mind the pains of every MS-Dog app adding itself to the
PATH, but that should be rare under Unix.  I just hope some people bother
to add their directory to the end of the path, if that is where it
belongs.  All the MS-Dog apps seem to be on ego trips as they always
add their dir to the front of the path.

                                        Brian
                                 ( bcwhite@bnr.ca )

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