How to execute bash script from any location?

Question

In UNIX, I read that moving a shell script to /usr/local/bin will allow you to execute the script from any location by simply typing "[scriptname].sh" and pressing enter.

I have moved a script with both normal user and root permissions but I can't run it.

The script:

#! bin/bash

echo "The current date and time is:"
date

echo "The total system uptime is"
uptime

echo "The users currently logged in are:"
who

echo "The current user is:"
who -m

exit 0

This is what happens when I try to move and then run the script:

[myusername@VDDK13C-6DDE885 ~]$ sudo mv sysinfo.sh /usr/local/bin

[myusername@VDDK13C-6DDE885 ~]$ sysinfo.sh

bash: sysinfo.sh: command not found

Answer 1

If you want to run the script from everywhere you need to add it to your PATH. Usually /usr/local/bin is in the path of every user so this way it should work. So check if in your system /usr/local/bin is in your PATH doing, on your terminal:

echo $PATH 

You should see a lot of paths listed (like /bin, /sbin etc...). If its not listed you can add it. A even better solution is to keep all your scripts inside a directory, for example in your home and add it to your path.

To add a directory in your path you can modify your shell init scripts and add the new directories, for example if you're usin the BASH shell you can edi your .bashrc and add the line:

PATH=$PATH:/the_directory_you_want_to_add/:/another_directory/

This will append the new directories to your existing PATH.

Answer 2

You have to move it somewhere in your path. Try this:

echo $PATH

I bet /usr/local/bin is not listed.

I handle this by making a bin directory in my $HOME (i.e. mkdir ~/bin) and adding this to my ~/.bashrc file (make the file if you don't already have one):

export PATH=~/bin:$PATH