How to set PATH for Finder-launched applications

Question

Apps launched via Finder seem to not respect the PATH as set in .bash_profile. So when I try to run code from an IDE (Intellij) I no longer have access to programs in /usr/local/bin, which is normally added to my path in the Terminal.

Apparently .MacOSX/environment.plist used to be the way to do this, but it no longer works in Lion.

How can I set the PATH for Finder-launched applications?

Answer 1

If you are on 10.7 and not 10.8, the solution below works well:

I had the same problem with eclipse, but now I've added e.g. the following to my .bash_profile and then it worked.

export PATH=some_path:another_path
launchctl setenv PATH $PATH

In case you want to leave the original path intact use

p=$(launchctl getenv PATH)
launchctl setenv PATH /my/new/path:$p

instead (or just launchctl setenv PATH /my/new/path:$(launchctl getenv PATH)).

Answer 2

To answer you question to your 'new' problem, I've decided to write another answer - because it is easier to explain with samples.

One way to load the environment variables on startup of your tool (IDE) of choice is like it can be done with eclipse - I think there must be a similar structure in your tool (IDE) too.

How it can be done in eclipse - http://stackoverflow.com/questions/829749/launch-mac-eclipse-with-environment-variables-set

(slightly re-written about the environment variables)

Create an empty text file called "eclipse.sh" in the Eclipse application bundle directory /Applications/eclipse/Eclipse.app/Contents/MacOS

Open the eclipse.sh in a text editor and enter the following contents:

#!/bin/sh

. ~/.bash_profile

logger "`dirname \"$0\"`/eclipse"

exec "`dirname \"$0\"`/eclipse" $@

In the Terminal set the executable flag of the shell script eclipse.sh, i.e.:

chmod +x /Applications/eclipse/Eclipse.app/Contents/MacOS/eclipse.sh

Open the Eclipse.app Info.plist and change the value for the key CFBundleExecutable from eclipse to eclipse.sh.

MacOS X does not automatically detect that the Eclipse.app's Info.plist has changed. Therefore you need to force update the LaunchService database in the Terminal by using the lsregister command:

/System/Library/Frameworks/CoreServices.framework/Frameworks/LaunchServices.framework/Support/lsregister -v -f /Applications/eclipse/Eclipse.app

The next time you launch Eclipse.app from the Dock or from the Finder the environment variables should be set.

Answer 3

On Mountain Lion all the /etc/paths and /etc/launchd.conf editing doesn't take any effect!

Apple's Developer Forums say:

"Change the Info.plist of the .app itself to contain an "LSEnvironment" dictionary with the environment variables you want.

~/.MacOSX/environment.plist is no longer supported."

So I directly edited the app's Info.plist (right click on "AppName.app" (in this case SourceTree) and then "Show package contents")

and added a new key/dict pair called:

<key>LSEnvironment</key>
<dict>
     <key>PATH</key>
     <string>/Users/flori/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.3-p362/bin:/Users/flori/.rvm/gems/ruby-1.9.3-p362@global/bin:/Users/flori/.rvm/rubies/ruby-1.9.3-p326/bin:/Users/flori/.rvm/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin:</string>
</dict>

(see: LaunchServicesKeys Documentation at Apple)

now the App (in my case SourceTree) uses the given path and works with git 1.9.3 :-)

PS: Of course you have to adjust the Path entry to your specific path needs.