[SOLVED] bash: export: `=': not a valid identifier - bash: export: `0': not a valid identifier

PClOStinspace · 01-24-2014, 07:56 AM

A) I have been tinkering with aliases
B) I have been tinkering with various bash related config files in order to configure some software I was playing with.

To do both of these things I had been following various guides online as I am not too sure of what I'm doing.

A few days later I noticed every time I reboot and go into a terminal the first two lines above my cursor read:-

Code:

bash: export: `=': not a valid identifier
bash: export: `0': not a valid identifier

It doesn't seem to cause any problems, everything works as usual, it's just bugging me that something is obviously not right. I have googled and checked various files for ' = ' with spaces etc etc. Problem is I can't remember every file I have messed with and the files I have checked I can't see any obvious errors.

Is there a quick way of pinpointing exactly which file contains the error(s) so I can fix it??

Habitual · 01-24-2014, 08:15 AM

Quote:

every time I reboot and go into a terminal the first two lines above my cursor read:-

Code:

bash: export: `=': not a valid identifier
bash: export: `0': not a valid identifier

Is there a quick way of pinpointing exactly which file contains the error(s) so I can fix it??

"Reboot and go into a terminal" - you meant a terminal program and not the console?
After logging in to the desktop, fire up a new terminal and see if the issue is present. This would indicate it's a ~/.bashrc issue if it shows up.

Terminal >

Code:

grep -i export ~/.bashrc

or
possible clue(s) in terminal >

Code:

export | less

Please let us know.

druuna · 01-24-2014, 08:16 AM

Assuming this error is shown when starting a login shell (try: bash -l from a terminal) it can only be a handful of files:

Global files you can check:
/etc/bash.bashrc
/etc/profile

Local files:
~/.bashrc
~/.bash_aliases
~/.profile

The error mentions the export command, check those lines first.

PClOStinspace · 01-24-2014, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habitual

"Reboot and go into a terminal" - you meant a terminal program and not the console?

Yeah, I'm using terminator.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habitual

Code:

grep -i export ~/.bashrc

That found it straight off! Funny thing was, I had edited that file and then reverted back to the original, the fault was in a line I haven't edited in months:-

Code:

export vblank_mode = "0"

should have read:-

Code:

export vblank_mode="0"

I added this one way back to fix a refresh error in Sketchup (which it did!!)

Habitual · 01-24-2014, 01:11 PM

I too, love terminator.
Glad it worked out!