"The following environment variable definitions may be needed"

[Chris Marusich]

Hi,

Sometimes, when you install a package, you get a message like this:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
[0] address@hidden:/tmp
$ guix package -p test-profile -i guile
The following package will be installed:
   guile        2.2.2   /gnu/store/5zx29y44nrqj0s8h3jlvlj82k8hj4dxs-guile-2.2.2

1 package in profile
The following environment variable definitions may be needed:
   export PATH="test-profile/bin${PATH:+:}$PATH"
[0] address@hidden:/tmp
$ 
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Up until now, I've always added the recommended export statements to my
~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile.  I (mistakenly?) assumed that's what the
message was really telling me to do.  However, I've just learned that
these recommended variables also appear to get exported in
$GUIX_PROFILE/etc/profile, which is automatically sourced by
/etc/profile on GuixSD.  Even on a foreign distro,
$GUIX_PROFILE/etc/profile is automatically sourced if one follows the
guidance in the manual ((guix) Binary Installation):

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
     Source ‘etc/profile’ to augment ‘PATH’ and other relevant
     environment variables:

          # GUIX_PROFILE=$HOME/.guix-profile \
            source $GUIX_PROFILE/etc/profile
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

This leads to my question: If I'm using GuixSD (or a foreign distro in
which $GUIX_PROFILE/etc/profile is automatically sourced), do I need to
add these recommended export statements to my ~/.bashrc or
~/.bash_profile?

My suspicion is that the answer is "no".  The next time I reboot or log
out and back in, the environment variables will be set correctly even if
I don't add them to my ~/.bashrc or ~/.bash_profile.  In fact, by adding
them there, I would be adding redundant entries.  I am hoping that
someone can confirm that my understanding is correct.

-- 
Chris

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