Execute scripts in your PWD without prepending them with "./"

Question

To execute scripts in your PWD without prepending them with "./", add it to the end of your $PATH:
$ export PATH="$PATH:."
...and, to make it permanent, create an entry in your .bashrc:
$ echo "export PATH=\"\$PATH:.\"" >> ~/.bashrc
It won't cure cancer, I just think it's cool
(02/05/2009) Replaced the old title with one more descriptive.
Last edited by deltaecho (2009-02-06 03:47:41)

Answer 1

I put all my scripts-in-progress in ~/Workspace/Development/Scripts, and move them to /usr/local/bin when they become "production ready," but every now and then, I create a semi-random folder in which I create a script I only need temporarily; it's nice to be able to quickly create a script and run it with only its name, despite the fact prepending it with "./" only adds 2 more characters.
Arkane wrote:I'd say there still is a risk, because many applications will test for the presence of a helper application simply by trying to call it (for example with -v) and seeing if the command is found. Of course that's arguably bad practice on their part, but it's still pretty common in simpler scripts (I think).
@Arkane, could you give me some examples?