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I'd like to install a binary for only my user, because I don't have root, and therefore don't have access to /usr/bin. I've tried ~/bin, and it can't find the binary. I'm on Mac OS 10.6.7. Is there any other binary folder that can usually be user-modified, or any way to get it to recognize ~/bin?

My .profile:

# Setting PATH for Python 2.7
# The orginal version is saved in .profile.pysave
PATH="/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/bin:${PATH}"
export PATH
tkbx
  • 10,847

1 Answers1

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A user's BASH environment variables can be defined in ~/.profile. Add a line to this file:

export PATH=$PATH:~/bin

To read the new PATH variable now:

. ~/.profile

or 

source ~/.profile

(The . and source are synonyms.)

Then to see that the PATH variable was updated:

echo $PATH

Update

I have never seen {} in a PATH environment variable?

PATH="$PATH:/Library/Frameworks/Python.framework/Versions/2.7/bin:~/bin"
export $PATH

Or create a text file containing a path in /etc/paths.d/ so all shells and users get the path...

echo "~/bin/" > /etc/paths.d/home
Christopher
  • 15,911
  • So you can add ~/bin (or preferably ~/.bin) to the list of places that it looks for binaries in? – tkbx Jan 19 '13 at 17:26
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    @tkbx that is what he is doin here. I don't think ~/.bin is preferable, as ~/bin is fairly standard and even configured by default in some operating systems. – jordanm Jan 19 '13 at 17:48
  • @Christopher I've edited my answer to show my .profile. How can I modify this to add ~/bin without breaking whatever is already there? – tkbx Jan 22 '13 at 19:27