Re: 'exec /bin/bash --login' in ~/.profile

[Michael Albinus]

Marc Girod <address@hidden> writes:

> Hello,

Hi,

> I am using bash on my target host.
> I set a ~/.profile containing only:
>
>   exec /bin/bash --login
>
> I open a remote file, and from this buffer, run "M-x shell".
> This gives me a bash shell, but which did not read my .bash_profile.

How did you check that .bash_profile is not read? Printed traces?
Missing environment?

> I came to do this because of being stuck in a situation such as:
>
>   Tramp: Found remote shell prompt on `eieatx009'
>   tramp-get-remote-id: Couldn't find a POSIX `id' command

This sounds like a $PATH problem. You could set tramp-verbose to 6, and
check the Tramp debug buffer.

> I am sure this is only transient, but I didn't want to restart emacs,and
> couldn't figure how to clean up this condition.

I do not know what you mean with "clean up this condition", but when you
test a Tramp connection, it is always a good idea to reset it via "M-x
tramp-cleanup-connection".

> Is my exec idea above a bad one? I don't find it mentioned in the info user
> manual (2.1.18-23.2)

Don't know whether it should work. Never tested.

> Thanks,
> Marc

Best regards, Michael.