[Solved] XFCE not reading profile files

[PsySc0rpi0n]

Hello.

I'm using Debian Buster with Xfce 4.12.

I have installed and I've been using Xfce but I can't make files ,such as ~/.profile, ~/.bash_profile and others like that, to be read by bash when my system boots up.
So, every time I open a terminal window, I need to manually run `source ~/.profile`so that the paths I want to add to $PATH becomes available for that terminal.

What am I missing here?

[Head_on_a_Stick]

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugrepo ... bug=761330

Please search before posting.

[PsySc0rpi0n]

They say there to use the file .xsessionsrc. But I can't even find this file in my system.

Not sure why but I couldn't find it. Is it supposed that I have it in the first place or I have to create it in my $HOME ?

[Head_on_a_Stick]

I have to create it in my $HOME

^ This.

See also https://wiki.debian.org/Xsession

Search engines are quicker than waiting for a reply on forums.

[pendrachken]

Hello.

I'm using Debian Buster with Xfce 4.12.

I have installed and I've been using Xfce but I can't make files ,such as ~/.profile, ~/.bash_profile and others like that, to be read by bash when my system boots up.
So, every time I open a terminal window, I need to manually run `source ~/.profile`so that the paths I want to add to $PATH becomes available for that terminal.

What am I missing here?

You are missing the fact that you don't want / need X / your DE messing with your $PATH. You want bash to have the $PATH every time you open the terminal.

You need to put the PATH you want in ~/.bashrc, as Debian has that file sourced by default for both interactive, login, and non-login shells. That should cover having the updated $PATH no matter what kind of stupid crap your terminal emulator is doing.

See: https://unix.stackexchange.com/question ... consistent

[Head_on_a_Stick]

You need to put the PATH you want in ~/.bashrc

Environmental variables shouldn't be added to ~/.bashrc because that file only applies to bash itself. The OP might want to export their custom PATH for other programs and that wouldn't work with your suggestion.

See also https://superuser.com/questions/183870/ ... 980#183980

[PsySc0rpi0n]

I created this ~/.xsessionrc and placed inside:

Code: Select all

source ~/.profile


bu this is not working. After logging out an back in or even after restarting, it still can't see the paths I wanted to add to $PATH.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

That's a bashism and I think ~/.xsessionrc is read by /bin/sh (hence dash).

Try

Code: Select all

. ~/.profile

EDIT: or use this in ~/.xsessionrc to avoid creating extraneous PATH entries:

Code: Select all

case "$PATH" in
   */added/directory*) ;;
   *) PATH=/added/directory:"$PATH"
esac
export PATH

Replace "/added/directory" with the actual directories that you want to add to PATH.

[PsySc0rpi0n]

That's a bashism and I think ~/.xsessionrc is read by /bin/sh (hence dash).

Try

Code: Select all

. ~/.profile

EDIT: or use this in ~/.xsessionrc to avoid creating extraneous PATH entries:

Code: Select all

case "$PATH" in
   */added/directory*) ;;
   *) PATH=/added/directory:"$PATH"
esac
export PATH

Replace "/added/directory" with the actual directories that you want to add to PATH.

Ok, that worked... I chose to use the latter one.
So, if I want to add more folders, do I need to create another block like that or I can use that block to add other folders?



edited;

For instance, if I need to add

Code: Select all

~/Downloads/my-program

and

Code: Select all

~/Downloads/your-program

can it be done like this:

Code: Select all

[code]case "$PATH" in
   *~/Downloads/my-program*) ;;
   *) ~/Downloads/my-program:"$PATH"
 
   *~/Downloads/your-program*) ;;
   *) ~/Downloads/your-program:"$PATH"
esac
export PATH[/code]


[Head_on_a_Stick]

You can add all the directories you want in the same case statement, for example:

Code: Select all

dirs=/first/directory:/second/directory:/third/directory
case "$PATH" in
   *"$dirs"*) ;;
   *) PATH="$dirs":"$PATH"
esac
export PATH

[PsySc0rpi0n]

You can add all the directories you want in the same case statement, for example:

Code: Select all

dirs=/first/directory:/second/directory:/third/directory
case "$PATH" in
   *"$dirs"*) ;;
   *) PATH="$dirs":"$PATH"
esac
export PATH

Ahh ok. I see. Thanks. Will try and report back

[PsySc0rpi0n]

Ok, with the last suggestion, it didn't work, I mean, with the multiple dirs...

This is my ~/.xsessionrc file:

Code: Select all

$ cat .xsessionrc
incdirs=~/Downloads/bitcoin-0.21/src:~/Downloads/lightning/cli:~/Downloads/lightning/lightningd:~/Downloads/mcabber/mcabber/mcabber:~/Storage/Software/Linux/openocd/src:~/Storage/Software/Linux/gcc-arm-none-eabi-10-2020-q4-major/bin

case "$PATH" in
   *"$dirs"*) ;;
   *) PATH="$dirs":"$PATH"
esac
export PATH


Edited;
Stupid me... Forget it...

[Head_on_a_Stick]

That's because you've declared an "incdirs" variable in the first line but used the "dirs" variable in the case statement. Both variable names have to match.

[PsySc0rpi0n]

Thanks. Stupid me...

I think this one is solved.
Thanks everyone.