Where Linux/Unix environment variables are kept? How can I add my own environment variable and make it persistent, not only within currently running script?
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http://lowfatlinux.com/linux-environment-variables.html – Arthur Kalliokoski Mar 17 '10 at 08:08
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you can add them in your profile, eg ~/.bash_profile. global profile is usually located in /etc. eg /etc/profile. Take a look also at /etc/profile.d directory if you have it.
ghostdog74
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I don't see /etc/profile, but I see /etc/profile.d which contains gvfs-bash-completion.sh and speechd-user-port.sh files. What exactly should I do to add environment variables for all users? – Alex F Mar 17 '10 at 08:26
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1those in `/etc/profile.d` are custom profiles. For all users, if you don't have `/etc/profile` then create it. – ghostdog74 Mar 17 '10 at 09:17
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To see the env variables use the printenv command.
To set a new variable you can use the ~/.bash_rc file:
export new_variable=10
new_variable will be accessible for all shells.
Marcel Gosselin
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Abhijith
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Thank you. Do you mean ~/.bashrc file? What about setting environment variable for all users? – Alex F Mar 17 '10 at 08:24
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Are you looking for the export keyword?
More information:
- Defining a variable with or without export
- http://www.ibm.com/developerworks/library/l-bash.html - section Environment variables.
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Anders Abel
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Add export statements to ~/.bash_login
Amarghosh
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I don't see ~/.bash_login file. Can I create it? What is the difference between ~/.bash_login and ~/.bashrc? – Alex F Mar 17 '10 at 08:27
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@alex You can create one. bash_login runs for login shells and bashrc for interactive shells - check the man page for details. – Amarghosh Mar 17 '10 at 09:34