4.15. Startup Files
Configuration is a strong element of Unix. This probably stems from
two traits commonly found in hackers: they want total control over
their environment, and they strive to minimize the number of
keystrokes and other hand movements they have to perform. So all the
major utilities on Unix--editors, mailers, debuggers, X Window System
clients--provide files that let you override their default behaviors
in a bewildering number of ways. Many of these files have names
ending in rc which means resource configuration.
Startup files are usually in your home directory. Their names begin
with a period, which keeps the ls command from displaying them
under normal circumstances. None of the files are required; all the
affected programs are smart enough to use defaults when the file does
not exist. But everyone finds it useful to have the startup files.
Here are some common ones:
- .bashrc
For the bash shell. The file is a
shell script, which means it can contain commands and other
programming constructs. Here's a very short startup file that might
have been placed in your home directory by the tool that created your
account:
PS1='\u$' # The prompt contains the user's login name.
HISTSIZE=50 # Save 50 commands for when the user presses the up arrow.
# All the directories to search for commands.
PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/bin/X11
# To prevent the user from accidentally ending a login session,
# disable Ctrl-D as a way to exit.
IGNOREEOF=1
stty erase "^H" # Make sure the backspace key erases.
- .bash_profile
For the bash shell. Another shell script. The
difference between this script and .bashrc is that
.bash_profile runs only when you log
in. It was originally designed so you could separate interactive
shells from those run by background processors like
cron (discussed in Chapter 8, "Other
Administrative
Tasks"). But it is not too useful on
modern computers with the X Window System, because when you open a new
xterm window, only .bashrc
runs. If you start up a window with the command xterm
-ls, it will run .bash_profile, too.
- .cshrc
For the C shell or tcsh. The file is a shell
script using C shell constructs.
- .login
For the C shell or tcsh. The file is a shell
script, using C shell constructs. Like .bash_profile in the bash shell, this runs
only when you log in. Here are some commands you might find in
.cshrc or .login:
set prompt='% ' # Simple % for prompt.
set history=50 # Save 50 commands for when the user presses the up arrow.
# All the directories to search for commands.
set path=(/usr/local/bin /usr/bin /bin /usr/bin/X11)
# To prevent the user from accidentally ending a login session,
# disable Ctrl-D as a way to exit.
set ignoreeof
stty erase "^H" # Make sure the backspace key erases.
- .emacs
For the Emacs editor. Consists of LISP functions. See the section
"Section 9.2.8, "Tailoring Emacs"" in Chapter 9, "Editors, Text Tools,
Graphics,
and Printing".
- .exrc
For the vi editor (also known as ex). Each line is an
editor command. See the section "Section 9.1.12, "Extending vi"" in
Chapter 9, "Editors, Text Tools,
Graphics,
and Printing".
- .fvwm2rc
For the fvwm2 window manager. Consists of special commands
interpreted by fvwm2. A sample file is shown in the section
"Section 11.2.1, "Configuring fvwm"" in Chapter 10, "Installing the X
Window System".
- .twmrc
For the twm window manager. Consists of special commands
interpreted by twm.
- .newsrc
For news readers. Contains a list of all newsgroups offered at the
site.
- .Xdefaults
For programs using the X Window System. Each line specifies a
resource (usually the name of a program and some property of that
program) along with the value that resource should take. This file is
described in the section "Section 11.1.2, "The X Resource Database"" in
Chapter 10, "Installing the X
Window System".
- .xinitrc
For the X Window System. Consists of shell commands that run whenever
you log into an X session. See the section
"Section 11.1, "Basics of X Customization"" in Chapter 10, "Installing the X
Window System" for
details on using this file.
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