[bugs #5601] Exported variables ($PATH and $GNUSTEP_*)

[Nicola Pero]

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/**************************************************************************/
[bugs #5601] Latest Modifications:

Changes by: 
                Nicola Pero <n.pero@mi.flashnet.it>
'Date: 
                Wed 03/31/04 at 11:40 (GMT)

            What     | Removed                   | Added
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Status | Analyzed                  | Closed


------------------ Additional Follow-up Comments ----------------------------
I've removed GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT by default.  That should
reduce clutter considerably.  Other changes pending or 
future changes will reduce the clutter even more.

Thanks






/**************************************************************************/
[bugs #5601] Full Item Snapshot:

URL: <http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/?func=detailitem&item_id=5601>
Project: GNUstep
Submitted by: John Pell
On: Sun 09/28/03 at 05:45

Category:  Makefiles
Severity:  1 - None
Item Group:  Change Request
Resolution:  None
Assigned to:  nico
Status:  Closed


Summary:  Exported variables ($PATH and $GNUSTEP_*)

Original Submission:  I've noticed that there a whole lot ov variables exported 
by GNUstep.sh. I think that 
a) they should be reduced.
b) directories that don't exist shouldn't be added. For example, 
$GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT/Tools shouldn't be added to my path if it doesn't exist, 
same for $GNUSTEP_USER_ROOT/Tools or any other path. Also, $CLASSPATH shouldn't 
include and dirs what don't exist etc etc etc... It would be very easy to patch 
the GNUstep.sh to do this, and i'll attach a possible patch to this later 
tonight. I think it *is* a bug for it to waste my env space like this. Thanx, JP

Follow-up Comments
------------------


-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Wed 03/31/04 at 11:40         By: nico
I've removed GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT by default.  That should
reduce clutter considerably.  Other changes pending or 
future changes will reduce the clutter even more.

Thanks

-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon 09/29/03 at 10:35         By: nico
Hello.  Thanks for your feedback. :-)

> Directories that don't exist shouldn't be added.

The reason why we add directories that don't exist yet is that if you create 
the directories and install something
(a program) in them, they are immediately available, without the need for 
rerunning GNUstep.sh.

For example, $GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT/Tools is added to the PATH
even if empty or non-existing.  So if you now download a tool from the net, 
compile it and install it (the tool will
by default create and install itself in $GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT/Tools), then you can
run the tool immediately - it's automatically in your PATH.

If GNUstep.sh were filtering out empty/non-existing dirs, you'd have to 
manually rerun GNUstep.sh to be able to run the tool.

Moreover, you can mount/unmount entire GNUstep trees from remote networks (say, 
you mount GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT from
a central server in your company); the corresponding tools
/applications will appear/disappear transparently as you
mount/umount the tree.

This functionality was felt to be so cool :-) that it's Ok
to have a few links to empty directories.

What GNUstep.sh already does is that, if GNUSTEP_LOCAL_ROOT == 
GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT, for example, then it doesn't add the directory twice but 
only once.  If you're very worried about having multiple dirs, you could play 
with the gnustep-make ./configure flags to remove GNUSTEP_NETWORK_ROOT, for 
example.

The other point - reducing the number of variables exported by GNUstep.sh - is 
generally a good thing, but it's not easy as most of them are actually used / 
in use (often by 3rd party software).

The only one which looks pointless and possibly nobody
is using it is GNUSTEP_ROOT.  I'll investigate if we can remove that. :-)






File Attachments
-------------------

-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun 09/28/03 at 06:50  Name: GNUstep.sh.in.diff  Size: 1KB   By: 
gaelicWizard
ummm... last one don't seem to apply cleanly...
http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/download.php?item_id=5601&amp;item_file_id=686

-------------------------------------------------------
Date: Sun 09/28/03 at 06:09  Name: GNUstep.sh.in.diff  Size: 2KB   By: 
gaelicWizard
promised patch (generated with 'diff -Naur' )
http://savannah.gnu.org/bugs/download.php?item_id=5601&amp;item_file_id=685






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