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

[iavian]

Hi all ,

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

Thanks
Vijay

 

[dj3vande]

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

 

[Antoninus Twink]

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().

 

[Walter Roberson]

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.

 

[Jens Thoms Toerring]

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

 

[Keith Thompson]

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.programmer would be a better place to discuss it -- after
checking any FAQ lists, since this kind of question comes up
frequently.</OT>

 

[iavian]

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

 

[Keith Thompson]

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.programmer (I
assume you're using a Unix-like system). That's the best advice
you're going to get here.