Commands not working.

[hack3rcon]

Hello,
When I write a command name then it don't worked and I should write the full command path:

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# mkfs.ext4
bash: mkfs.ext4: command not found

But below command worked:

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# /usr/sbin/mkfs.ext4 

Why?

Thank you.

[sickpig]

try fasting on moonless Sunday nights for a few moons to fix it.

Alternatively, make an effort to learn what PATH is in linux.

I donate blood to help vampires(sometimes on moonless nights), don't judge me

[mm3100]

Check if that is in your path environmental variable https://wiki.debian.org/EnvironmentVariables.
To see what is in path of current user run

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echo $PATH

If /usr/sbin is not in there, then that is the culprit. Bash can't find command as it is not where it looks, and when you type full path to the file it knows where to look so it runs it.

[sunrat]

Do you ever read or search anything before posting here? Read this:
http://forums.debian.net/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=142973

[NFT5]

Why bother searching when people keep solving the problems.

H.o.a.S. had a better solution.

[RU55EL]

Some recommended reading.

[KitchM]

I agree with the original poster. There is something that does not make sense.

I am using Debian 10, with all latest updates, and Xfce 4.12.

When I type:

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echo $path

there is nothing returned (I get a blank line before new prompt). Trying:
sudo echo $path
does the same thing, and also if I log in as root.

So the question is "Where is the universal path setting kept?" I have looked into /etc/environment (which is empty), /ect/profile (which has:

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# /etc/profile: system-wide .profile file for the Bourne shell (sh(1))
# and Bourne compatible shells (bash(1), ksh(1), ash(1), ...).

if [ "`id -u`" -eq 0 ]; then
  PATH="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"
else
  PATH="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games"
fi
export PATH

), ~/.bash_profile (which is empty), /etc/logins.deg (which has similar to above:

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ENV_SUPATH	PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin
ENV_PATH	PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/local/games:/usr/games

), ???????? Running out of ideas.

So here's the problem. Normally we need do nothing special to set a path variable. Especially when using a proper .deb install. Therefore, in the very odd situation that one installs something that must have a manual setting added to the path command, there is no clearly defined location one should add it so that everyone has it forever.

Debian does not seem to address this in any definitive way.

[sunrat]

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echo $PATH

[KitchM]

Right, as noted above, it is empty.

[sunrat]

Right, as noted above, it is empty.

You wrote

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echo $path

Which is wrong so it will be empty.

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echo $PATH

is totally different and should work. If it doesn't, your Debian is screwed.

[sgosnell]

Everything in Linux is case sensitive. At least everything I can think about offhand.

[KitchM]

Nope. Sunrat was correct. I missed that.

[KitchM]

Of course, the question still remains unanswered. There must be some definitive answer.

[CwF]

Of course, the question still remains unanswered. There must be some definitive answer.

I think it varies...
/etc/gconf/2/path

[KitchM]

But that doesn't help me directly. We want to know where to make the settings once and for all. Surely some expert knows.

[Head_on_a_Stick]

We want to know where to make the settings once and for all

Note that LightDM doesn't run the user's shell as a login session so ~/.profile won't be read. Use ~/.xsessionrc to either source ~/.profile or set PATH explicitly from there. The former approach will allow ~/.profile to work for console (TTY) logins also.

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

[KitchM]

And does that work for all users then?

[reinob]

And does that work for all users then?

I don't think your question, or rather request, has any sensible answer.
There is no such thing as a "universal" PATH that applies to all programs. Some programs will inherit the PATH (and/or the whole environment) of their parent process, others won't.

Some programs will apply restrictions to the environment they get (e.g. sudo) and/or load optional environments which will override the default (e.g. ~/.ssh/environment).

Even if you only focus on terminals, some will run your shell as a login shell, and others won't.

So just make sure that in *your* system the PATH for *your* particular program is set correctly.
Note that in general there's absolutely no need to adjust anything, as the PATH is rather static (mostly /usr/local/bin, /usr/bin, /bin, and /usr/local/sbin, /usr/sbin and /sbin if root). Also /usr/local/games and /usr/games is rather common.

Normally ~/.local/bin and/or ~/bin if they exist will be added to the PATH, but only for interactive shells (at .profile).

So, please ask if you have a specific question or problem.

Maybe it's even worth opening a new thread, as this one was about the OP not reading the manual, which inevitably leads to the classic "su vs su -" misunderstanding.