How do I edit $PATH (.bash_profile) on OSX?

Question

I am trying to edit an entry to PATH, as I did something wrong.

I am using Mac OS X 10.10.3

I have tried:

> touch ~/.bash_profile; open ~/.bash_profile

But the file editor opens with nothing inside.

My problem:

I am trying to install ANDROID_HOME to my PATH

I misspelled it, but when I closed the terminal and went back it was gone, so I tried again:

export ANDROID_HOME=/<installation location>/android-sdk-macosx
export PATH=${PATH}:$ANDROID_HOME/tools:$ANDROID_HOME/platform-tools

This time, I typed the command correctly but, when I closed the terminal, my settings disappeared again.

How do I execute my desired settings?

If I was to edit bash.profile, how would I enter the above code?

Thanks!

Answer 1

You have to open that file with a text editor and then save it.

touch ~/.bash_profile; open ~/.bash_profile

It will open the file with TextEdit, paste your things and then save it. If you open it again you'll find your edits.

You can use other editors:

nano ~/.bash_profile
mate ~/.bash_profile
vim ~/.bash_profile

But if you don't know how to use them, it's easier to use the open approach.

---

Alternatively, you can rely on pbpaste. Copy

export ANDROID_HOME=/<installation location>/android-sdk-macosx
export PATH=${PATH}:$ANDROID_HOME/tools:$ANDROID_HOME/platform-tools

in the system clipboard and then in a shell run

pbpaste > ~/.bash_profile

---

Or alternatively you can also use cat

cat > ~/.bash_profile

(now cat waits for input: paste the two export definitions and then hit ctrl-D).

Answer 2

A bit more detailed for beginners:

First get sure the .bash_profile file is existing? Remember that the .bash_profile file isn't there by default. You have to create it by your own.

Go into your user folder in finder. The .bash_profile file should be findable there. -> HD/Users/[USERNAME]

Remember: Files with a point at the beginning '.' are hidden by default.

To show hidden files in Mac OS Finder:

Press: Command + Shift + .

If it's not existing, you have to create .bash_profile by your own.

Open terminal app and switch into user folder with simple command:

cd

If it's not existing, use this command to create the file:

touch .bash_profile

Second if you can't memorise the nerdy commands for save and close in vim, nano etc (the way recommended above) the easiest way to edit is to open .bash_profile file in your favored code editor (Sublime etc.).

Finder -> User folder. Right click -> open with : Sublime Text (or other code editor). Or drag it on app in dock.

… and there you can edit it, pass export commands in new lines.

Answer 3

For beginners: To create your .bash_profile file in your home directory on MacOS, run:

nano ~/.bash_profile

Then you can paste in the following:

https://gist.github.com/mocon/0baf15e62163a07cb957888559d1b054

As you can see, it includes some example aliases and an environment variable at the bottom.

One you're done making your changes, follow the instructions at the bottom of the Nano editor window to WriteOut (Ctrl-O) and Exit (Ctrl-X). Then quit your Terminal and reopen it, and you will be able to use your newly defined aliases and environment variables.

Answer 4

In Macbook, step by step:

1. First of all open terminal and write it: cd ~/
2. Create your bash file: touch .bash_profile

You created your ".bash_profile" file but if you would like to edit it, you should write it;

3. Edit your bash profile: open -e .bash_profile

After you can save from top-left corner of screen: File > Save

@canerkaseler

Answer 5

Mac OS X doesn't store the path in .bash_profile, but .profile, since Mac OS X is a branch of *BSD family. You should be able to see the export blah blah blah in .profile once you do cat .profile on your terminal.

Answer 6

For me my mac OS is Mojave. and I'm facing the same issue for three days and in the end, I just write the correct path in the .bash_profile file which is like this:

    export PATH=/Users/[YOURNAME]/development/flutter/bin:$PATH

• note1: if u don't have .bash_profile create one and write the line above
• note2: zip your downloaded flutter SDK in [home]/development if you copy and paste this path