How do I install a script to run anywhere from the command line?

Question

If I have a basic Python script, with it\'s hashbang and what-not in place, so that from the terminal on Linux I can run

/path/to/file/MyScript [args]


        

Answer 1

Just create ~/bin and put export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin in your bashrc/profile. Don't mess with the system, it will bite you back, trust me.

Few more things (relevant to the question but not part of the answer):

1. The other way export PATH=$HOME/bin:$PATH is NOT safe, for bash will will look into your ~/bin folder for executables, and if their name matches with other executables in your original $PATH you will be surprised by unexpected/non working command execution.
2. Don't forget to chmod+x when you save your script in ~/bin.
3. Be aware of what you are putting in your ~/bin folder, if you are just testing something or working on unfinished script, its always better to use ./$SCRIPT_NAME from your CWD to execute the script than putting it under ~/bin.

Answer 2

Walkthrough of making a python script available anywhere:

Make a python script:

cd /home/el/bin
touch stuff.py
chmod +x stuff.py

Find out where your python is:

which python
/usr/bin/python

Put this code in there:

#!/usr/bin/python
print "hi"

Run in it the same directory:

python stuff.py

Go up a directory and it's not available:

cd ..
stuff.py

-bash: stuff.py: command not found

Not found! It's as we expect, add the file path of the python file to the $PATH

vi ~/.bashrc

Add the file:

export PATH=$PATH:/home/el/bin

Save it out, re apply the .bashrc, and retry

source ~/.bashrc

Try again:

cd /home/el
stuff.py

Prints:

hi

The trick is that the bash shell knows the language of the file via the shebang.

Answer 3

you can also use setuptools (https://pypi.org/project/setuptools/)

1. your script will be:

def hi():
    print("hi")

(suppose the file name is hello.py)

2. also add __init__.py file next to your script (with nothing in it).

3. add setup.py script, with the content:

#!/usr/bin/env python3

import setuptools

install_requires = [
        'WHATEVER PACKAGES YOU NEED GOES HERE'
        ]

setuptools.setup(
    name="some_utils",
    version="1.1",
    packages=setuptools.find_packages(),
    install_requires=install_requires,
    entry_points={
        'console_scripts': [
            'cool_script = hello:hi',
        ],
    },
    include_package_data=True,
    )

4. you can now run python setup.py develop in this folder
5. then from anywhere, run cool_script and your script will run.

Answer 4

Just create symbolic link to your script in /usr/local/bin/:

sudo ln -s /path/to/your/script.py /usr/local/bin/script