All: NOTE: I CC'ed the guys who wrote the mods to the /usr/X11R6/bin/kde so they might be able to respond to this. Please don't include them on replies to this message. I just spent hours trying to find out what was happening to my $PATH when I logged into the KDE. The first thing that happens is the etc/profile runs. This sources the /etc/SuSEconfig/profile. Then the /etc/profile.d/*.sh, the /etc/profile.local. After this, the /etc/X11/xdm/Xsession runs and figures out where to go to finish the windows manager configuration. In this case I ended up in the /root/.xinitrc which lead me to the /usr/X11R6/bin/kde. I traced this through by echoing the $PATH via setting TEST_VAR=$PATH. I finally found that the path assigned in the etc/profile was being wiped out when the /etc/rc.config is sourced at the top of the /usr/X11R6/bin/kde. Jim Menasian(sp), my CS professor for intro to CS II, would not like this very much. After going all the way through this maze I end up with: PATH=/opt/kde/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin The first time the path was set in the /etc/profile it was: PATH=/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/bin The original PATH makes more sense to me. This second PATH seems to have come from a more or less default SuSE configuration. The only good thing in the second PATH that isn't in the first path is the /opt/kde/bin. This was in the path which was replaced by the . /etc/rc.config. Perhaps there is a good reason to have done things this way, but I don't understand it. I dislike the whole meandering sequence of file invocation that take place in Linux/Unix when user sessions get started. It is extremely hard to understand, and often leads to problems. I believe there is probably a better way to deal with this whole initialization process. I don't know what that might be, but I firmly believe it should be pursued. I am sorry for criticizing SuSE again. I only do it with the intention of improving SuSE and Linux. Steve -- For a look at the future click below: http://www.suse.com || http://www.linuxbase.org http://www.kde.org || http://samba.anu.edu.au http://www.winehq.com || http://www.mozilla.org -- To unsubscribe send e-mail to suse-linux-e-unsubscribe@suse.com For additional commands send e-mail to suse-linux-e-help@suse.com Also check the FAQ at http://www.suse.com/Support/Doku/FAQ/