How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

**Antoninus Twink** · Jun 27 '08, 07:36 PM

Re: How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

On 9 May 2008 at 17:26, iavian wrote:

I want to set a env variable in a C program? . Not through shell env
variables. Any help?

What do you mean "not through shell env variables"?

If you're on a POSIX system, check out setenv() and putenv().

**dj3vande@csclub.uwaterloo.ca.invalid** · Jun 27 '08, 07:36 PM

Re: How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

In article <5eca7cf1-8080-4625-b2c1-383808d530b7@b1 g2000hsg.google groups.com>,
iavian <vijay@iavian.c omwrote:

>Hi all ,
>
>I want to set a env variable in a C program? . Not through shell env
>variables. Any help?

How an environment variable gets set is beyond the scope of the C
language.
They're typically assigned through an OS-defined mechanism when the
process is created. A newsgroup whose scope includes how to start
processes on your OS may be able to provide more specific guidance.

Many C implementations also provide extensions that allow environment
variables to be set from within the program. Your implementation' s
documentation may shed some light on that.

dave

--
Dave Vandervies dj3vande at eskimo dot com
He'll be buried face down, nine edge first. Unlike most people of whom
that is said, in his case, it's a compliment.
--Richard Bos, on John Backus, in comp.lang.c

**Walter Roberson** · Jun 27 '08, 07:36 PM

Re: How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

In article <5eca7cf1-8080-4625-b2c1-383808d530b7@b1 g2000hsg.google groups.com>,
iavian <vijay@iavian.c omwrote:

>I want to set a env variable in a C program? . Not through shell env
>variables. Any help?

C does not provide any mechanism to set environment variables.

It is common for OSes to provide a setenv() routine in their libraries.

Note that when OSes do so provide, often setenv() only affects
the environment of the running program and any programs that it
invokes after that point, such as by system() or by OS routines
such as exec*() . Unix-like systems often have *no* mechanism
that would allow a program to change the environment variables of
other programs that are already running.

--
"All is vanity." -- Ecclesiastes

**Jens Thoms Toerring** · Jun 27 '08, 07:36 PM

Re: How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

iavian <vijay@iavian.c omwrote:

I want to set a env variable in a C program? . Not through shell env
variables. Any help?

This is not a C question since this only depends on how your
shell handles things. But, that out of the way, you simply
can't do that (at least with no shell I ever heard of). Your
C program is a process started by your shell and such a child-
process can never change anything in its "parent" process.

The only thing you can do is to have the the program output
something the shell then explicitely executes, like (e.g.
using bash):

---- env_cmd.c -----

#include <stdio.h>

int main( void )
{
puts( "export X=AAA" );
return 0;
}

--------------------

and then do e.g.

gcc -o env_cmd env_cmd.c
`./env_cmd` # note the backticks
echo $X

AAA
Regards, Jens
--
\ Jens Thoms Toerring ___ jt@toerring.de
\______________ ____________ http://toerring.de

**Keith Thompson** · Jun 27 '08, 07:36 PM

Re: How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

jt@toerring.de (Jens Thoms Toerring) writes:

iavian <vijay@iavian.c omwrote:

>I want to set a env variable in a C program? . Not through shell env
>variables. Any help?

>
This is not a C question since this only depends on how your
shell handles things. But, that out of the way, you simply
can't do that (at least with no shell I ever heard of). Your
C program is a process started by your shell and such a child-
process can never change anything in its "parent" process.

The OP didn't seem to be asking about propagating the setting to the
parent process (assuming that "parent process" is meaningful). As far
as I can tell, the POSIX setenv() function (not standard C) would
satisfy the requirement he stated. Whether it would satisfy his
actual requirement is another question.

<OT>In Unix-like systems, there are various ways for a process to set
one of its own environment variables in response to information from a
child process. You demonstrated one of them in part of your article
that I ruthlessly snipped; other ways are possible.
comp.unix.progr ammer would be a better place to discuss it -- after
checking any FAQ lists, since this kind of question comes up
frequently.</OT>

--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keit h) <kst-u@mib.org>
Nokia
"We must do something. This is something. Therefore, we must do this."
-- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

**iavian** · Jun 27 '08, 07:36 PM

Re: How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

Thanks for all who replied ..

I am writing a function for postgres in C which connect to Oracle
db .. postgres accepts a shared object to be loaded . So, when the .so
is loaded inside postgres , .so could find oracle environments.. I am
not sure what should be the best way to do it ..

whenever a row is inserted in postgres , a trigger will call this C
function which connects to oracle and inserts the record in Oracle db

Any pointers?

My problem is
On May 9, 2:52 pm, Keith Thompson <ks...@mib.orgw rote:

j...@toerring.d e (Jens Thoms Toerring) writes:
>

iavian <vi...@iavian.c omwrote:

I want to set a env variable in a C program? . Not through shell env
variables. Any help?

>

This is not a C question since this only depends on how your
shell handles things. But, that out of the way, you simply
can't do that (at least with no shell I ever heard of). Your
C program is a process started by your shell and such a child-
process can never change anything in its "parent" process.

>
The OP didn't seem to be asking about propagating the setting to the
parent process (assuming that "parent process" is meaningful). As far
as I can tell, the POSIX setenv() function (not standard C) would
satisfy the requirement he stated. Whether it would satisfy his
actual requirement is another question.
>
<OT>In Unix-like systems, there are various ways for a process to set
one of its own environment variables in response to information from a
child process. You demonstrated one of them in part of your article
that I ruthlessly snipped; other ways are possible.
comp.unix.progr ammer would be a better place to discuss it -- after
checking any FAQ lists, since this kind of question comes up
frequently.</OT>
>
--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keit h) <ks...@mib.or g>
Nokia
"We must do something. This is something. Therefore, we must do this."
-- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

**CBFalconer** · Jun 27 '08, 07:36 PM

Re: How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

iavian wrote:

>
I am writing a function for postgres in C which connect to Oracle
db .. postgres accepts a shared object to be loaded . So, when the
.so is loaded inside postgres , .so could find oracle environments..
I am not sure what should be the best way to do it ..
>
whenever a row is inserted in postgres , a trigger will call this C
function which connects to oracle and inserts the record in Oracle db

Top-posting has lost all connection to previous traffic in this
thread. It was totally unnecessary.

Please do not top-post. Your answer belongs after (or intermixed
with) the quoted material to which you reply, after snipping all
irrelevant material. See the following links:

<http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html>
<http://www.caliburn.nl/topposting.html >
<http://www.netmeister. org/news/learn2quote.htm l>
<http://cfaj.freeshell. org/google/ (taming google)
<http://members.fortune city.com/nnqweb/ (newusers)

--
[mail]: Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net)
[page]: <http://cbfalconer.home .att.net>
Try the download section.

** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

**Keith Thompson** · Jun 27 '08, 07:36 PM

Re: How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

iavian <vijay@iavian.c omwrites:

I am writing a function for postgres in C which connect to Oracle
db .. postgres accepts a shared object to be loaded . So, when the .so
is loaded inside postgres , .so could find oracle environments.. I am
not sure what should be the best way to do it ..
>
whenever a row is inserted in postgres , a trigger will call this C
function which connects to oracle and inserts the record in Oracle db
>
Any pointers?

I think you've already been advised to ask in comp.unix.progr ammer (I
assume you're using a Unix-like system). That's the best advice
you're going to get here.

--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keit h) <kst-u@mib.org>
Nokia
"We must do something. This is something. Therefore, we must do this."
-- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

**Jack Klein** · Jun 27 '08, 07:36 PM

Re: How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

On Fri, 9 May 2008 10:26:48 -0700 (PDT), iavian <vijay@iavian.c om>
wrote in comp.lang.c:

Hi all ,
>
I want to set a env variable in a C program? . Not through shell env
variables. Any help?

The standard C library does not provide any functions to set
environment variables, just one to search for and read them.

All of today's most popular operating systems provided their own
system-specific extensions for doing this. You need to ask in a group
that supports your particular compiler/OS combination for details.

--
Jack Klein
Home: http://JK-Technology.Com
FAQs for
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alt.comp.lang.l earn.c-c++

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How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

How do I export a environmental variable to a C program?

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