emacs getenv returns nil

CollieJim · 04-01-2013, 11:53 PM

I have written several emacs functions which depend on the getenv function. Recently it has been returning 'nil'. There has been no change to the functions.

In the emacs shell buffer, the set command shows that 'EMACS_PATH' has a value, so the environment has been passed to emacs.

Code:

$ echo $EMACS_PATH
/mnt/jim/emacs

Code:

(defun nav ()
"Visit nav.el"
  (interactive)
  (let (emacs-dir)
  (setq emacs-dir (getenv "EMACS_PATH"))
  (find-file (concat emacs-dir "/nav.el"))))

The argument passed to find-file is /nav.el, not /mnt/jim/emacs/nav.el.

/etc/bash.bashrc contains

Code:

set -a

I'm using Kubuntu 12.04.2 regularly updated.

What do I need to do to get getenv working again?

ntubski · 04-02-2013, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CollieJim

In the emacs shell buffer, the set command shows that 'EMACS_PATH' has a value, so the environment has been passed to emacs.

Code:

$ echo $EMACS_PATH
/mnt/jim/emacs

It might be just a shell variable and not an environment variable, you should use env to test for environment variables:

Code:

env | grep ^EMACS_PATH=

How does EMACS_PATH get its value? Note that if you set an environment variable from within an emacs shell buffer, emacs doesn't see it because environment variables are only passed to child processes, you have to set it before starting emacs (or use the elisp function setenv).

CollieJim · 04-04-2013, 06:27 AM

env returns the same.

In /etc/bash.bashrc I have

Code:

  EMACS_PATH=/mnt/jim/emacs

ntubski · 04-04-2013, 08:59 PM

What's the output from

Code:

env | grep ^EMACS_PATH
emacs -Q --batch --eval '(message (getenv "EMACS_PATH"))'

CollieJim · 04-05-2013, 01:47 AM

Using konsole:

Code:

$ env | grep ^EMACS_PATH
EMACS_PATH=/mnt/jim/emacs
123 14:30:48 ~ $ emacs -Q --batch --eval '(message (getenv "EMACS_PATH"))'
/mnt/jim/emacs

In this context getenv is working.
However if I evaluate (getenv "EMACS_PATH") in emacs' *scratch* buffer:

Code:

(getenv "EMACS_PATH")
nil

Very strange.

ntubski · 04-05-2013, 09:39 AM

Perhaps something in your .emacs (or .emacs.d/init.el) is unsetting EMACS_PATH or getenv. Does getenv work for other environment variables? Does it work if you run emacs -Q and evaluate (getenv "EMACS_PATH")? Try also emacs --no-site-file and emacs --no-init-file (-Q is equivalent to both of those at once).