When you ask your shell to execute a command without telling him where
it is, it looks for it in the directories specified in the $PATH
variable ("echo $PATH" to see it).
When you specify a directory (here : the . directory [=the current
directory]), it will search the command in the specified directory.
NB : If you don't want to be annoyed by that, you can add the ./
directory in the $PATH environnement variable. (PATH=$PATH:./)
As simple as that.
HTH
Flupke
Barry Winch wrote:
>
> Can someone please explain the concept behind ./ in executing a command.
>
> If I am in the directory where the programme resides and type the programme
> name, I get a:
> "bash: programme name: command not found" message
>
> If, from the same directory I type ./programme name everything works as
> advertised.
>
> Thanks
>
> Barry
