The gtmroutines environment variable specifies a directory search list of possible locations for M routines. This search enables GT.M to find the routine (program) that a user wants to run even if it is not in the current working directory. Fidelity Information Services recommends the inclusion of $gtm_dist in the list of directories specified in gtmroutines permits access to the Global Directory Editor (GDE) and to utility routines supplied with GT.M.

The following is an example of a gtmroutines definition, assuming that $ gtm_dist has been defined:

$ gtmroutines=". $gtm_dist"
 $ export gtmroutines
 

This specifies that GT.M first search for a routine in the current directory, then in the distribution directory (included in the list because it contains the percent routines). Users may want the search list to contain these at a minimum; in addition, to including other directories. See "$ZROUTINES" section of the "Intrinsic Special Variables" chapter in the GT.M Programmer's Guide for details on gtmroutines syntax.