Summary: ALthough AIX is by now on version 7.3 I find these old pages so fascinating I decided to keep them. On this page I'll show you how to configure your profile on an AIX server. This page is for AIX 5.3 and AIX 6.1.
Date: Between 2010-2013
Refactor: 21 December 2024: Checked formatting.

Change the /etc/security/.profile file:

PATH=/usr/bin:/etc:/usr/sbin:/usr/ucb:$HOME/bin:/usr/bin/X11:/sbin:.

# Set the prompt to username@hostname:/current/directory
HOST=$(hostname -s)
PS1='$USER@$HOST:$PWD>'

# Set environment for Korn Shell
ENV=$HOME/.kshrc

export PATH HOST PS1 ENV

if [ -s "$MAIL" ]           # This is at Shell startup.  In normal
then echo "$MAILMSG"        # operation, the Shell checks
fi                          # periodically.

Don't forget to copy the profile file to the home directory of existing users.

If you use a terminal that supports the TERM environment (like putty) setting you can also do the same to the windows title. Add, according to your preferences the correct piece of code to the .profile file:

case $TERM in
   (xterm*)
         PROMPT_COMMAND='echo -ne "\033]0;${HOST}: ${PWD}\007"'
;;
esac

Will give you:

hostname:/current/directory

And:

case $TERM in
   (xterm*)
         PROMPT_COMMAND='echo -ne "\033]0;${USER}($(id -ng))@${HOST}: ${PWD}\007"'
;;
esac

Will give you:

user(ssh-access)@hostname:/current/directory

For more information, also on adding the Oracle instance to your prompt or windows title see here at rootvg.

Create or change the /home/user/.kshrc file:

set -o vi
alias c=clear
alias dir='ls -l'
alias ll='ls -l'

Create or change the /home/user/.exrc file:

set showmode
set number

This will automatically show the line numbers and show the mode of vi your working in, like input or replace. If you don't want to show the vi numbers issue this command inside vi:

:set nonumber

$HOME/.hushlogin

If this file exists, it will suppress the displaying of the /etc/motd file (message of the day file) and the message for unsuccessful login attempts for that user account.

set -o ignoreeof

If this line exists in your .profile <ctrl>+d won't log you out

If you want the created profile to automatically be set for every newly created user create a directory

/etc/skel

and copy the files to that directory:

root@ms-lpar04:/etc/security>cd /etc/skel
root@ms-lpar04:/etc/skel>ls -l
-rw-r--r--    1 root     system           24 Mar  4 12:08 .exrc
-rw-r--r--    1 root     system           59 Mar  4 12:07 .kshrc
-rw-r--r--    1 root     system          416 Mar  4 12:05 .profile

Note: Don't forget to make sure everybody can read the files.

PATH=/usr/bin:/etc:/usr/sbin:/usr/ucb:$HOME/bin:/usr/bin/X11:/sbin:.

# Set the prompt to username@hostname:/current/directory
HOST=$(hostname -s)
PS1='$USER@$HOST:$PWD>'

# Set environment for Korn Shell
ENV=$HOME/.kshrc

# Set terminal window
case $TERM in
   (xterm*)
         PROMPT_COMMAND='echo -ne "\033]0;${HOST}: ${PWD}\007"'
;;
esac

# Set timeout
TMOUT=3600

export PATH HOST PS1 ENV TMOUT

# Aliases
alias ll='ls -lrt'
alias c='clear'

if [ $HOST = 'backend' ] || [ $HOST = 'backend-acc' ]
   then
      alias toapp="cd /opt/comp/backend/"
      alias tolog="cd /var/log/comp"
      alias todata="cd /var/data/comp"
fi

if [ -s "$MAIL" ]           # This is at Shell startup.  In normal
then echo "$MAILMSG"        # operation, the Shell checks
fi                          # periodically.