ENVIRON

Section: Linux Programmer's Manual (5)
Updated: January 21, 1993
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NAME

environ - user environment  

SYNOPSIS

extern char **environ;
 

DESCRIPTION

An array of strings called the `environment' is made available by exec(2) when a process begins. By conventions these strings have the form `name=value'. The following names are used by various commands:
PATH
The sequence of directory prefixes that sh(1) and many other programs apply in searching for a file known by an incomplete path name. The prefixes are separated by `:'.
HOME
A user's login directory, set by login(1) from the password file passwd(5).
SHELL
The file name of the users login shell.

Further names may be placed in the environment by the export command and `name=value' in sh(1), or by the setenv command if you use csh(1). Arguments may also be placed in the environment at the point of an exec(2). You should check not to conflict with certain shell variables, like: MAIL, PS1, PS2, IFS etc.  

SEE ALSO

login(1), sh(1), bash (1), csh (1), tcsh (1), exec(2), system(3)


 

Index

NAME
SYNOPSIS
DESCRIPTION
SEE ALSO

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