UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Hi all,
This is probably a very simple question but I couldn't even think of how to phrase it intelligently so google could tell me the answer.

Basically I am a user on a server, I am not the admin and do not have root privileges. I have downloaded a bunch of programs that I need to use and am ready to compile them, but I would like to know if it is possible to set up some kind of path just for me so that I can use these programs regardless of current working directory, and not have to worry about putting things into /usr/local/bin.

Any help is aprreciated.
Cheers,
Davy.

Assuming that you are using some sort of Bourne-type Shell:

Code:

PATH="${PATH}:/myhome/programs";export PATH

Or if you are testing a new version of something which appears in the normal $PATH.

PATH="/myhome/programs:${PATH}";export PATH

You can place this change to ${PATH} in your profile file if you want it every day or create a script in your home directory and execute it as:

Code:

. ./scriptname

That is dot-space-dot-slash-scriptname.

I have several different scripts according to what I am testing at the time.

Thanks. Works perfectly!