Set $PATH programmatically

c_coder · 02-26-2004, 04:15 AM

Hi people.

How do I set $PATH permanently using C code? Using putenv() alters the PATh env for the current child process only. How does one alter the $PATH of the existing shell from which one executes the C program?
I cannot use the '. ' (dot space filename) shell command or 'source' shell command to execute my C program due to certain reasons.

urgent help required please...

Thanx.

aizkorri · 02-26-2004, 04:44 AM

you could try something like:

system("PATH=/wherever/file/bin:$PATH ");

c_coder · 02-26-2004, 04:52 AM

I Tried it exactly that way... However same problem.. The altered PATH is valid only in that process. I guess it is because system() forks a new shell to fire the command-- the original shell still has the same PATH. Is there another way?

doraiashok · 02-26-2004, 04:56 AM

I don't know about the system() call but one thing is clear that every process maintains it own separate path variables.

so try exporting the variable and making it global by using the export command.

May be you can use,

Code:

system("export PATH");

But still it may be unsure because system() itself forks a new process to execute the given command. so a code below might work incase "export" works.

Code:

if(fork()==0)
{
//Set the PATH variable
//Use exec to execute the export command.
}

c_coder · 02-26-2004, 05:02 AM

Nope. 'Export' did not work either. I guess export must be sending vars to the current environment... not the parents one.

What now? there must be SOME way..

krajzega · 02-26-2004, 05:15 AM

Heheh yes, there is some way (I will put only a few lines, not whole code):

FILE *file;
fputs("PATH=/your/path\n export PATH", file);
exec(file);

;-)
Take this as a joke...but it would also do exactly what you want.

Hko · 02-26-2004, 07:40 AM

Nice. A dirty hack for a dirty job... :-)