Enviromental variable question

wr3ck3d · 05-01-2003, 06:15 PM

when i set a enviromental varible for instance

export whatever=location/of/file

where does it get written to?? does it stay in ram?? Are these used just before you compile a program so it knows where to tell the binary where these files are located?? Or are there other uses??

thanks

Tinkster · 05-01-2003, 06:23 PM

Quote:

where does it get written to?? does it stay in ram??

Yep ... :) ...just RAM.

Quote:

Or are there other uses??

Sure are :) ... for instance $PATH is quite vital
for all you do in your system ...

just do an env on your bash-prompt and modify
a few of them ;)

Why are they kept in memory rather than in a file?
I'd assume it's got to do with the olden days when
HDDs were just soooo slow, and if more or less with
everything you do on the comp the file needs to be
read again ... :)

Cheers,
Tink

wr3ck3d · 05-01-2003, 06:39 PM

ok thanks, reason was i was trying to install something and had to enter a few of those and was trying to find out where the text file was to see what else what set. but guess there is none

Tinkster · 05-01-2003, 06:44 PM

Code:

env

to see what's set :) (Asuuming you're using bash)

Cheers,
Tink