shell to set environment variable

ufmale · 11-16-2009, 11:19 AM

I am trying to set environment variables via a shell script.
However, after the script exits, the env variable is still not set.

Is there a way to do so?

This is my aa.sh

export DPATH=/var/www/html/www.julycenter.com
export CPATH=/var/www/html/www.julycenter.com/css

anomie · 11-16-2009, 11:24 AM

I don't think so, because the shell script is a child of the shell.

If you need for the values to persist, either 1) export them in the parent environment instead; or 2) write them to some sort of temporary file from the child environment (where they can later be read by the parent).

Guttorm · 11-16-2009, 11:28 AM

Hi

Try this:

source aa.sh

Then the variables will be set.

druuna · 11-16-2009, 11:31 AM

Hi,

Do you have to use a script?

Running a script will not set these vars in the shell you started the script from.

Parsing a file with commands will set them in the shell you parsed in from.

. aa

aa being a file with just the 2 shown export commands in post #1.

Hope this helps.

Tinkster · 11-16-2009, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Hi

Try this:

source aa.sh

Then the variables will be set.

or the short version
. script

anomie · 11-16-2009, 11:35 AM

Guttorm's idea does work if aa.sh does not have an exit.

Code:

$ cat foo.sh 
#!/bin/sh

_myval='Hello'

. /home/mrbig/bar.sh

echo ${_myval}

exit 0

Code:

$ cat bar.sh 
#!/bin/sh

_myval='Goodbye'

Code:

$ ./foo.sh 
Goodbye