I was trying to install Sencha Touch SDK tools 2.0.0 but could not run it properly. It created an entry in the $PATH variable. Later I deleted the sencha sdk tools folder but didn't realize that the path variable is still there.

When i did echo $PATH I got -

/Applications/SenchaSDKTools-2.0.0-beta3:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11/bin

I searched on how to remove variables from $PATH and followed these steps :

  1. Gave the command PATH="/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11/bin"
  2. Did echo $PATH which showed /usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11/bin
  3. gave the command export PATH
  4. Closed terminal and reopened it. Gave the command echo $PATH. This time I got /Applications/SenchaSDKTools-2.0.0-beta3:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/usr/X11/bin

Can anyone tell me what am i doing wrong?


  1. echo $PATH and copy it's value
  2. export PATH=""
  3. export PATH="/path/you/want/to/keep"

Check the following files:

/etc/bashrc
/etc/profile
~/.bashrc
~/.bash_profile
~/.profile
~/.MacOSX/environment.plist

Some of these files may not exist, but they're the most likely ones to contain $PATH definitions.


On MAC OS X Leopard and higher

cd /etc/paths.d

There may be a text file in the above directory that contains the path you are trying to remove.

vim textfile //check and see what is in it when you are done looking type :q 
//:q just quits, no saves

If its the one you want to remove do this

rm textfile //remove it, delete it

Here is a link to a site that has more info on it, even though it illustrates 'adding' the path. However, you may gain some insight.


What you're doing is valid for the current session (limited to the terminal that you're working in). You need to persist those changes. Consider adding commands in steps 1-3 above to your ${HOME}/.bashrc.