Howto: .bashrc or .bash_profile absent or missing on install

[ToFue]

As the title suggests.. though this is more of a guide for people experiencing the same thing I have - I'm just giving back ;)

Normally I install newer distro releases cleanly, only deleting the sys-specific things in my home folder that can't be replaced with a new install (everything that's not Downloads, Documents, Videos, Music, or other user content that contains personal files I wish to keep, etc..) This also includes every hidden folder/file that I don't care to bring over, relying on the install & new system config to create what it needs..

Conventionally, this install method also included deleting bash related files in my home directory, as the new install ought to have created a new profile. This didn't happen with Maverick, though, as symptom-ed by the lack of color difference of file types when using 'ls' in terminal..

My 'quick' cure was to take the following steps:

System>Users and Groups
create a new frivolous user,

Applications>Accessories>Terminal




## copy the bash relevant from new account home dir to main user's home dir:

$ sudo cp /home/<new-user>/{.bashrc,.bash_logout,.profile} /home/${USER}/

## then change ownership:

$ sudo chown ${USER}: /home/${USER}/{.bashrc,.bash_logout,.profile}



permissions should remain intact..

Exit terminal, then open terminal again, then type 'ls' to verify the change.

now delete the frivolous user that was made, and all done :p

[ToFue]

:oops:
Normally I install newer distro releases cleanly, only deleting the sys-specific things in my home folder that can't be replaced with a new install ...":oops:


I appologize for this gross oversight on my part, as it should have read : "Normally I install newer distro releases cleanly, only deleting the sys-specific things in my home folder that can be replaced with a new install ..."

Bottom line in this method, you want to keep your irreplaceable and custom files, and lose the ones that a new system install will create..

I couldn't live with myself discovering that this was out there, unfixed!