profile(4) Kernel Interfaces Manual profile(4)
NAME
profile - set up user's environment at login time
DESCRIPTION
If the file exists, it is executed by the shell for every user who logs in. The file should be set up to do only those things that are
desirable for every user on the system, or to set reasonable defaults. If a user's login (home) directory contains a file named that file
is executed (via the shell's before the session begins. files are useful for setting various environment parameters, setting terminal
modes, or overriding some or all of the results of executing
EXAMPLES
The following example is typical (except for the comments):
# Make some environment variables global
export MAIL PATH TERM
# Set file creation mask
umask 22
# Tell me when new mail comes in
MAIL=/var/mail/myname
# Add my /bin directory to the shell search sequence
PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin
# Set terminal type
echo "terminal: c"
read TERM
case $TERM in
300) stty cr2 nl0 tabs; tabs;;
300s) stty cr2 nl0 tabs; tabs;;
450) stty cr2 nl0 tabs; tabs;;
hp) stty cr0 nl0 tabs; tabs;;
745|735) stty cr1 nl] -tabs; TERM=745;;
43) stty cr1 nl0 -tabs;;
*) echo "$TERM unknown";;
esac
A more complete model can be found in
FILES
SEE ALSO
env(1), login(1), mail(1), sh(1), stty(1), su(1), environ(5), term(5).
profile(4)