Environmental Variables - where stored ?

UNIX for Advanced & Expert Users
1

Hi all !
Yesterday I defined an environmental variable PATH, but today when I restarted machine, I could not see that it was stored any place.
Is there any file where I could save the settings ?
I have quite a few env.variables defined, so I need a smarter way to define.

regards
D

2

All environment variables are maintained only in memory. To have certain environment variables set upon login, you would have to maintain the same in specific files.

Depending on the shell that you are using to login, you would have to set the path the appropriate file in your home directory.
For csh/tcsh, the file would be .login which is sourced by the login shell, while for sh/bash (and probably ksh) the .profile is used.

3

thanks for reply.
when I checked the .login file, it looked fine, but surprisingly enough, the settings will not load automatically. maybe there are some other settings I need to take a look at ?

This is the variable I need to define some place on my machine. If I enter it manually, everything works:

PATH=/opt/SUNWspro/bin:/nett/opt/SunCompilers/SPARCWorks3.2/SUNWspro/bin:/usr/local/bin:/opt/bin:.:/usr/ccs/bin:/usr/ccs/lib:/usr/dt/bin:.:/usr/sbin:/opt/SUNWspro/bin:/bin:/usr/ucb:/usr/ccs/bin:/usr/ccs/lib:/usr/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/etc:/opt/java/idltojava-solaris:/bin:/usr/bin:/usr/openwin/bin:/opt/bin:/opt/comm4/sol47:/usr/local/orbacus/bin:/usr/local/jtc/bin:/usr/local/birdy/bin:/opt/sms/sms14.1_client/client/14x1-0.8/solaris2:/usr/local/java/bin:/usr/local/ant/bin:/usr/local/ncftp/bin:/usr/local/SUNWspro/bin

How can I store this variable?

4

are you using csh/tcsh or sh/bash/ksh?

5

My shell is:
csh/tcsh

6

In your home directory in .cshrc.

This file is automatically executed when you start a shell.