---
name: "sysprofile"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "sysprofile"
version: "0.3.10"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/sysprofile"
---

# sysprofile(8)

modular centralized shell configuration

## NAME

sysprofile - modular centralized shell configuration\

## DESCRIPTION

**sysprofile** is a generic approach to configure  shell settings in a modular and centralized way mostly  aimed at avoiding work for lazy sysadmins.  It has only  been tested to work with the bash shell.

It basically consists of the small  **/etc/sysprofile** shell script which invokes other small shell scripts having a  **.bash** suffix which are contained in the  **/etc/sysprofile.d/** directory.  The system administrator can drop in any script he wants without any naming convention other than that the scripts need to have a .bash suffix to enable automagic sourcing by **/etc/sysprofile.**

This mechanism is set up by inserting a small shell routine into  **/etc/profile** for login shells and optionally into **/etc/bashrc** and/or **/etc/bash.bashrc** for non-login shells from where the actual **/etc/sysprofile** script is invoked:

    if \[ -f /etc/sysprofile \]; then\
             . /etc/sysprofile\
     fi

For using "sysprofile" under X11, one can source it in a similar way from  **/etc/X11/Xsession** or your X display manager's  **Xsession** file to provide the same shell environment as under the console in X11.  See the example files in  **/usr/share/doc/sysprofile/** for illustration.

For usage of terminal emulators with a non-login bash shell under X11, take care to enable sysprofile via   **/etc/bash.bashrc.** If not set this way, your terminal emulators won't come up with the environment defined by the scripts in  **/etc/sysprofile.d/.**

Users not wanting  **/etc/sysprofile** to be sourced for their environment can easily disable it's automatic mechanism.  It can be disabled by simply creating an empty file called **$HOME/.nosysprofile** in the user's home directory using e.g. the  **[touch(1)](/touch/1.md)** command.

Any single configuration file in  **/etc/sysprofile.d/** can be overridden by any user by creating a private **$HOME/.sysprofile.d/** directory which may contain a user's own version of any configuration file to be sourced instead of the system default.  It's names have just to match exactly the system's default **/etc/sysprofile.d/** configuration files.  Empty versions of these files contained in the  **$HOME/.sysprofile.d/** directory automatically disable sourcing of the system wide version.

Naturally, users can add and include their own private script inventions to be automagically executed by **/etc/sysprofile** at login time.

## OPTIONS

There are no options other than those dictated by shell conventions.  Anything is defined within the configuration scripts themselves.

## SEE ALSO

The README files and configuration examples contained in  **/etc/sysprofile.d/** and the manual pages **[bash(1)](/bash/1.md),** **[xdm(1x)](/xdm/1x.md),** **[xdm.options(5)](/xdm.options/5.md),** and **[wdm(1x)](/wdm/1x.md).** Recommended further reading is everything related with shell programming.

If you need a similar mechanism for executing code at logout time check out the related package  **[syslogout(8)](/syslogout/8.md)** which is a very close companion to  **sysprofile.**

## BUGS

**sysprofile** in its current form is mainly restricted to  **[bash(1)](/bash/1.md)** syntax.  In fact it is actually  a rather embarrassing quick and dirty hack than anything else - but it works.  It  serves the practical need to enable a centralized bash configuration  until something better becomes available.  Your constructive criticism in making  this  into  something better" is very welcome.  Before i forget to mention it: we take patches... ;-)

## AUTHOR

**sysprofile** was developed by Paul Seelig \<pseelig@debian.org\> specifically for the Debian GNU/Linux system.  Feel free to port it to and use it anywhere else under the conditions of either the GNU public license or the BSD  license or both.  Better yet, please help to make it into something more worthwhile than it currently is.