Barry....when you type a command at the prompt a search is
made using your 'path'. If the program is not found in the
'path' you get the command not found error. The current
directory is not scanned unless it is actually in your 'path',
so if it is not you need to tell 'bash' that the program you
want to execute is in the current directory by prepending the
./ characters (a single dot means current directory, the / is
a seperator).
Alan
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
