[Software] DEbian 12.5 $PATH

[rac8006]

I just upgraded to bookworm. I noticed that /bin is a symbolic link to /usr/bin and /sbin is a symbolic link to /usr/sbin. Is there a reason that the normal user $PATH does not have /sbin in it? Also noticed that the normal user $PATH has /usr/bin and /bin isn't the redundant?
I was looking into this because several times I would try to run a program and would get the message command not found.

PS when does .profile in the user home directory get called. I made a change to the $PATH. But when I open a new konsole it does not get the change.

[sunrat]

Standard users are not supposed to be allowed to run commands in /usr/sbin/. The recommended way to do so is escalate privileges with su - (note the dash) or with sudo.
Adding path in .profile should work but you would need to log out then back in before it works. It's a dirty hack though.

[rac8006]

Thanks for your response. I've been using Linux for years. I was on stretch on my desktop and Wheezy on my WD My Clouds and even a later versiopn on the DLink-323. In all that time I've never had the problem of programs not found after doing an su. I know that normal users should not run programs in /sbin or /usr/sbin. But after installing debian bookworm. I was constantly having commands not found. While trying to setup the bookworm. I had to google the error I received. But the information that I found mostly failed with command not found.
After getting your response. I see that my problem was not using the dash with the su command. For the last 20 years or more su worked. Thats why I thought I had to add sbin to the $PATH. I checked the $PATH after both su and su - and found why my command didn't work.
It's difficult working on Bookworn when a lot of what I used to do failed and I have no one to ask. I just found the forum.

PS still don't undersatnd why /bin and /usr/bin is in my $PATH.

[jmgibson1981]

While it may not be advisable I just create a PATH in my /etc/environment file

Code: Select all

PATH="/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/sbin:/bin"

This eliminates the entire issue. But it's not the proper way to go so do it at your own risk.

[sunrat]

The $PATH was changed for Jessie IIRC. something something security...

Most of the commands you run as user will be in /usr/bin/ so it must be in user $PATH.

[rac8006]

Thanks again. My question was not why is /usr/bin in the path bu why is /bin? Since /bin/is a symboliclink to /usr/bin. When a comand does not exist /usr/bin/will be searched then /bin will be searched.

[sunrat]

Thanks again. My question was not why is /usr/bin in the path bu why is /bin? Since /bin/is a symboliclink to /usr/bin. When a comand does not exist /usr/bin/will be searched then /bin will be searched.

I guess it's redundant but remains for compatibility with older Debian versions when upgraded. usrmerge happened a couple of releases ago - https://wiki.debian.org/UsrMerge

[rac8006]

Thank you. I forgot about backward compatibility.