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Hello,
What was confusing me is that the .profile files are "invisible" when
you use the wrklnk command.
In Unix, a filename that starts with a dot is a "hidden" file. Much
like a hidden file in Windows, you can not normally see it in a
directory listing.
On Unix systems, any per-user configuration files are stored in the
users home directory. However, a user logs on to their home directory
and uses it for all of their documents and other work. So it'd be easy
for them to accidentally delete configuration files, et al, if they
weren't hidden. For example, they might be doing their "spring
cleaning" and deleting the files they don't need. The casual user might
not understand a "Profile" file (since it was likely installed by IT)
and so might think "I never use this, I'll delete it". Causing future
logins to work improperly.
That's why it's hidden. It's nicer, because it's not cluttering up your
workspace, and it's safer, because the casual user won't accidentally
delete it.
Not really a problem on i, because folks rarely use their home
directories the way a Unix user would. Indeed, you're lucky on IBM i if
the users even know the IFS exists. But, IBM treats it the way Unix
does, for ease of porting apps.
Anyway... this leaves me with two questions:
1) Why do you use .profile for your PATH?
2) If you only need to change it once each year, why not just manipulate
the PATH variable directly rather than updating your .profile? Is it a
permanent change that lasts the whole year?
midrange.com
