Setting up Netscape/Mozilla

[heljy]

Hi all, I recently installed Mandrake 8.0 on my computer and I really liked it!  

One question though... I installed both netscape 7.0 and mozilla 1.2 and they are located in /usr/local/netscape and /usr/local/mozilla respectively.

And whenever I want to run either one of them, I have to type in the entire pathname. I was wondering how I can set it up such that I only have to type 'netscape' or 'mozilla' at the prompt and have it start the browsers.

Please advise, thanks!

[voidmain]

Either create a symbolic link in /usr/bin that points to the executables or add the appropriate directories to your PATH or create an alias or just add an ICON on your desktop.

Symbolic Link:
# ln -s /usr/local/netscape/netscape /usr/bin/netscape
# ln -s /usr/local/mozilla/mozilla /usr/bin/mozilla

This assumes your netscape program is /usr/local/netscape/netscape and your mozilla program is /usr/local/mozilla/mozilla. If that is not correct, change it to the proper path

PATH:
Edit your .bash_profile in your home directory and add ":/usr/local/netscape:/usr/local/mozilla" to the end of the line that starts with "PATH=". This will not take effect until you log off and back on.

alias:
Edit your .bash_profile in your home directory and add the lines "alias netscape=/usr/local/netscape/netscape" and "alias mozilla=/usr/local/mozilla/mozilla" to the end of the file.

ICON method:
Right click, Add new Launcher, browse to the executable and select it.

[heljy]

Hmmm, I am wondering if I use the symbolic link method, well all the users be affected?

I know that if I edit the .bash_profile, it will only affect the user where the .bash_profile file is in.

So if I want it to be available to all user, I use the symoblic link?

thanks!

[voidmain]

Yes, use the symbolic link method, or add the PATH  to /etc/profile rather than the .bash_profile. The /etc/profile is executed by all users when logging in before the .bash_profile in the user's home directory is executed. But I prefer the symbolic links.

[ October 10, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[heljy]

I tried the symbol link and I get an error when I tried to run mozilla.

/usr/local/mozilla: Permission denied.

I checked /usr/local/mozilla and it has lrwxrwxrwx access. Why dont I have the permission??  :confused:

[voidmain]

No, you link to the full path of the executable, not the directory. If you have a program called "netscape" in a directory called "/usr/local/netscape" you would:

# ln -s /usr/local/netscape/netscape /usr/bin/netscape

Notice there are two occurances of netcape in the first path, one is the directory, one is the name of the program. You are trying to execute the directory, which of course isn't going to produce the results you are looking for.

[ October 10, 2002: Message edited by: void main ]

[heljy]

Oh, ok, I get it.

Thanks alot!

[Calum]

how dumb am i? i have been hobbling along grumpily with this sort of issue without even thinking of putting symlinks in /usr/bin!

thanks void main. I should have known that though...

[voidmain]

Add it to the FAQ.