Command line and PATH

Terminals

• There are many kinds of command line syntaxes out there. Some examples:
  • Windows: PowerShell (new), cmd (old)
  • Linux, (also included in the Windows Git install): bash
• We're using PowerShell, which can be accessed inside VS Code
• In VS Code, open/close terminal by pressing CTRL+Ö (in the Fin/Swe layout)

Basic commands and the working directory

• To do actions in a terminal, you don't press buttons, you write commands
• Most commands act on the currently open folder, a.k.a. the working directory
  • Path to the directory is shown next to the terminal cursor:
    PS E:\borb\code\unity-basics-course>
• ls tells the contents of the working directory

Moving around

• cd is used to move to another directory
  • Use cd programming to move to the programming subfolder
    PS E:\borb\code\unity-basics-course\programming>
  • Use cd .. to move one step up in the hierarchy (to the parent directory)
    PS E:\borb\code\unity-basics-course>
• Note: .. is a shorthand for to the parent directory, . for the current directory

Windows: Environment variables

• To be able to run some program, like git, from any working directory, its installation folder needs to be added to System Path
  • Usually, the software installer handles it for you
  • Sometimes, you need to do it yourself.
• System path (or just PATH) is one of the Environment variables
  • Search in Start menu for environment variables
  • Choose Edit the system environment variables
  • Click Environment variables
  • Choose Path under System variables and click Edit
  • Choose New
  • Either click Browse or just paste the directory path in the text box

Note: Windows loads the environment variables when you open a new terminal. After modifying Path, restart the terminal (if you use VS Code, you have to restart VS Code).