right way to set PATH for startup scripts

I wonder is there a right way to set PATH environment variable for daemons we are starting via /usr/local/etc/rc.d/something startup scripts? each time I portupgrade apache I add the following line to /usr/local/etc/rc.d/apache:

set PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:$PATH

and it would be great if there exists a way to set this PATH globally, and be sure that I don't forget to add this line to distribution startup script
 
The global path is set in /etc/rc but you probably don't want to edit that directly, as it will be overwritten everytime you upgrade the OS. And you probably shouldn't be messing with the path for the system RC scripts. There are binaries installed under /usr/local/{sbin|bin} that have the same names as ones under /{sbin|bin} and /usr/{sbin|bin}.

Setting it in the individual script that needs it is a cleaner solution.

May I ask why the Apache RC script needs a different PATH?
 
I know that messing with system-wide scripts is a bit of pain, so I'd rather prefer something like rc.conf variable, but, alas, there's no easy and elegant way to set machine-wide startup PATH, unfortunately. even login.conf doesn't work :(

setting a different path for apache and its children is my compatibility issue, I have some bad-formed code, that spawns processes by their short name and I haven't a chance to change this code.

Probably the question should be asked as: why user changed rc-script is deleted, while any other user-changed files are preserved?
 
Although I don't have an elegant solution to rc.d scripts needing a bigger $PATH than whats setup by /etc/rc, only a sloppy one of putting

Code:
export PATH=/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:

in /etc/rc.conf. Ugly.

I have ran into a similar problem with sloppy programmers calling binaries from web server scripts that are not in the default $PATH. I fixed that by the below shell code section.

Code:
mkdir -p /usr/local/etc/apache22/envvars.d/
echo 'export PATH=/bin:/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/local/sbin:' > /usr/local/etc/apache22/envvars.d/path.env
chmod 755 /usr/local/etc/apache22/envvars.d/path.env

The rc.d script for apache22 is kind enough to execute /usr/local/sbin/envvars, which will then source ${ENVVARS_DIR}/*.env into the rc.d scripts' environment. Handy.
 
I see. so, I'm doomed to make such changes every time I upgrade apache %) at least, while I'm bound to 1.3.x. Thanks phoenix, Christopher
 
Hi, I also have a similar problem I tried to set a path variable. But it only works for the current session. I have type the full path after a restart of computer. I am using tcsh on FreeBSD 13. Please find the below code for your kind perusal.
Code:
set path = ($path /usr/home/schroter/julia-1.6.2/bin/)
After the above code typed on terminal (tcsh) echo $path shows the path variable added. I could just run julia from home folder and start application. But after a restart it does not work and echo $path shows the path variable missing I have to type the full path to start application. Please help.shows the path variable added. After the above code typed on terminal (tcsh) I could just run julia from home folder and start application. But after a restart it does not work and echo $path shows the path variable missing I have to type the full path to start application. Please help.
Thanks & Best Regards
Schroter
 
Schroter you need to put that path command in the startup script for your shell. For [t]csh, this is normally $HOME/.cshrc.
Example from one of my machines:
Code:
root@proxy:~ # grep path $HOME/.cshrc
set path = (/sbin /bin /usr/sbin /usr/bin /usr/local/sbin /usr/local/bin $HOME/bin)
HTH
 
Schroter you need to put that path command in the startup script for your shell. For [t]csh, this is normally $HOME/.cshrc.
Example from one of my machines:
Code:
root@proxy:~ # grep path $HOME/.cshrc
set path = (/sbin /bin /usr/sbin /usr/bin /usr/local/sbin /usr/local/bin $HOME/bin)
HTH
Hi, thanks for the reply.
I did the following;
I added `/usr/home/schroter/julia-1.6.2/bin` to `~/.cshrc` and it looks like below
Code:
set path = (/sbin /bin /usr/sbin /usr/bin /usr/local/sbin /usr/local/bin $HOME/bin /usr/home/schroter/julia-1.6.2/bin)
Afterwards I restarted the computer and typed `julia` on home prompt and it said command not found.
Please let me know.
Thanks & Best Regards
Schroter
 
That's because your normal user doesn't use cshrc as a shell by default.

What's the output of echo $SHELL?
If it's /bin/sh, you're supposed to add pathes in .shrc

If you want to change the shell of your normal user, see https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/basics/#changing-shells
Hi thanks,

In normal user mode;
echo $SHELL gives me:
/bin/tcsh.

In root user mode;
echo $SHELL gives me:
/bin/csh.

I deliberately changed shell to tcsh during FreeBSD 13 installation. Since, I was told it is better than other shells.
Thanks & Best Regards
Schroter
 
Schroter you need to put that path command in the startup script for your shell. For [t]csh, this is normally $HOME/.cshrc.
Example from one of my machines:
Code:
root@proxy:~ # grep path $HOME/.cshrc
set path = (/sbin /bin /usr/sbin /usr/bin /usr/local/sbin /usr/local/bin $HOME/bin)
HTH
Hi Thanks for the advice. I while I had added it to the ~/.cshrc file I had not removed the # symbol at the beginning of the statement that I why it did not work. Now it works fine. Sorry for the confusion.
Thanks & Best Regards
Schroter
 
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