Environment PATH

[nnobakht]

Hey guys,
So im working on this project which is create a shell in C using fork() and execve() commands in POSIX.
The main things is a read_command() functions and a main which just has a while loop with fork and execve with an if statement that takes out the waitpid() command if the user types <command> & which means they want to run it in the background.
Now what i am trying to do is make it so instead of having to type a command such as /bin/ls or /usr/bin/xeyes to be able to jsut type "ls" or "xeyes" and so on. Is there anyways that i can get the system environment paths?
or can someone gimme a hint as to how to go about this problem?
Note: i am not asking for you to do it nor am i asking for u to give me the code

[Salem]

The 'exec' calls with a 'p' in the name perform the job of searching the PATH.

[nnobakht]

i know but we cant use it i knwo that exec has a whole family of functions but we must use the execve(command,parameters,environ).

[Salem]

You mean like
char *p = getenv("PATH");

Then you parse that string, looking for directories, then testing each in turn?

[nnobakht]

something like that yest but could you explain "PATH" is (is it something i choose like /bin/ or is it like an environment path with many
PATH=/usr/bin/ ; /bin/ : and so on.
also one i parse it and get a path for example /bin/ and the command is "ls" how would i put that together? creating another array of characters and puttign the two together or is there a simplar way.
Thanks for all your help salem

[Salem]

What do you mean "explain PATH".
Just write some code, print it out, and learn.

Given the scope of the original problem, a bit of simple string handling should not be an issue here.
You already seem to know the answer, so try it.