$PATH

[David Bovill]

AFAIK - the way $PATH works (at least on OSX / Linux) is not the same as you
get when you open your terminal... essentially because it is not using your
.profile or equivalent settings when the shell is initiated. I am not sure
where it gets it's initial setting?

What do people do to ensure command line tools are reachable... cross
platform? I can think of a few strategies:

   1. Use the full path when calling them and place them in any folder you
   want
   2. Give a use the option to install it in one of the existing folders
   already on the PATH
   3. Set the $PATH using shell commands - I'm not sure what effect if any
   setting it in the IDE / application has?

Also for those of you on Windows - how does the shell work in terms of paths
on Windows systems - has anyone any links I can read up on?