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I'm not logging in as root, it's an AWS server so I have to login as "ec2-user" then change to root using "sudo su -". So should I put the commands in "/home/ec2-user/.bashrc"?
– Alasdair
Commented Nov 8, 2011 at 6:45
5

This assumes ~/.bashrc is sourced from your ~/.bash_profile. ~/.bash_profile will be the script that is invoked for a login shell like ssh. I believe ~/.bashrc will get called if you open up a Gnome Terminal, for example, AFTER having already logged in.
– dgrant
Commented Nov 8, 2011 at 6:46
You've confused me, let me explain more: This is an Amazon Web Services instance, which is a virtually server, so no one will ever physically log in (I'm not even sure if it physically exists as one machine). I login using PUTTY with the username ec2-user. This drops me in /home/ec2-user directory. I then change to root user by typing "sudo su -", which then drops me into "/root", then I have to type a series of commands, including changing me back to "/home/ec2-user" and setting some variables, aliases, etc. So... how would I get it to do this?
– Alasdair
Commented Nov 8, 2011 at 6:52
Also, since I am changing user, I expect that in the ec2-user bash profile I should put only "sudo su -", and then the rest of the commands in the root bash file?
– Alasdair
Commented Nov 8, 2011 at 6:52
NOTE: actually, it's .profile that gets called if it exists, unless .bash_profile, exists, then it is called instead.
– dgrant
Commented Nov 8, 2011 at 6:52

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