NAME

profile − setting up an environment at login time

DESCRIPTION

If a user’s login directory contains a file named .profile, that file will be executed as “exec .profile” before your session begins; the files are handy for setting exported environment variables and terminal modes.  If the /etc/profile file exists, it will be executed for every user before the .profile.  The following example is typical (except for the comments):

#  Make some environment variables global
export MAIL PATH TERM
#  Set file creation mask
umask 22
#  Tell me when new mail comes in
MAIL=/usr/mail/myname
#  Add my /bin directory to the shell search sequence
PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin
#  Set terminal type
echo "terminal:
read TERM
case $TERM in
   300)      stty cr2 nl0 tabs; tabs;;
   300s)     stty cr2 nl0 tabs; tabs;;
   450)      stty cr2 nl0 tabs; tabs;;
   hp)       stty cr0 nl0 tabs; tabs;;
   745(735)  stty cr1 nl1 -tabs; TERM=745;;
   43)       stty cr1 nl0 -tabs;;
   4014(tek) stty cr0 nl0 -tabs ff1; TERM=4014; echo "33;";;
   *)        echo "$TERM unknown";;
esac

FILES

$HOME/.profile   User’s own profile
/etc/profile       System profile (/bin/sh and /bin/sh5)
/etc/cshprofile    System profile (/bin/csh)

SEE ALSO

csh(1), login(1), mail(1), printenv(1), sh(1), sh5(1), stty(1), su(1), environ(5), term(7)