Setting environment variables in Linux using Bash

pbh101_1266 0
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In tcsh, I have the following script working:

#!/bin/tcsh
setenv X_ROOT /some/specified/path

setenv XDB    ${X_ROOT}/db
setenv PATH   ${X_ROOT}/bin:${PATH}

xrun -d xdb1 -i $1 > $2

What is the equivalent to the tcsh setenv function in Bash?

Is there a direct analog? The environment variables are for locating the executable.

shell unix linux bash
5 Answers

export VAR=value will set VAR to value. Enclose it in single quotes if you want spaces, like export VAR='my val'. If you want the variable to be interpolated, use double quotes, like export VAR="$MY_OTHER_VAR".

user_288040

The reason people often suggest writing

VAR=value
export VAR

instead of the shorter

export VAR=value

is that the longer form works in more different shells than the short form. If you know you're dealing with bash, either works fine, of course.

user_138710

VAR=value sets VAR to value.

After that export VAR will give it to child processes too.

export VAR=value is a shorthand doing both.

iny_270670

I think you're looking for export - though I could be wrong.. I've never played with tcsh before. Use the following syntax:

export VARIABLE=value
user_128700
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