This bash script provides a few functions that allow you to use an application installed into an arbitrary directory as if it were installed globally. It does this by setting various environment variables that control which directories are searched for applications, manual pages, libraries, etc.

For example, if you install some GNU-style package with the usual commands

./configure --prefix=/my/favourite/directory
make
make install

and you source this script (e.g., in your ~/.bashrc file)

. /path/to/setupenv

then you can use the package after entering the following command:

setupenv /my/favourite/directory

Other commands:

• removeenv undos the changes from setupenv for the given path
• printsetup lists all of the directories that you have set up
• add_path adds a single directory to the command line search PATH variable (and nothing else)
• remove_path undos an add_path
• printpath prints PATH in a more readable form