docs/111265: Clarify how to set common shell variables
Victor Engmark
victor.engmark at gmail.com
Thu Apr 5 10:20:04 UTC 2007
>Number: 111265
>Category: docs
>Synopsis: Clarify how to set common shell variables
>Confidential: no
>Severity: non-critical
>Priority: low
>Responsible: freebsd-doc
>State: open
>Quarter:
>Keywords:
>Date-Required:
>Class: change-request
>Submitter-Id: current-users
>Arrival-Date: Thu Apr 05 10:20:03 GMT 2007
>Closed-Date:
>Last-Modified:
>Originator: Victor Engmark
>Release:
>Organization:
>Environment:
>Description:
Until reading section 3.9.1, it looks like section 3.9 advocates setting all shell variables using setenv / export. Since this is not the case for at least $SHELL and $TERM (and, I presume, $OSTYPE and $MACHTYPE), new users might get unexpected results when trying to change variables.
Assuming that the handbook is used as a reference, maybe the information should be re-organized to avoid misunderstandings.
>How-To-Repeat:
>Fix:
The explanations of the individual shell variables in section 3.9 could be moved into the sections discussing their use (such as 3.10, "Editors", for $EDITOR and 3.9.1, "Changing Your Shell", for $SHELL).
Another option would be to add a warning that some variables should not be set using setenv / export, or explicitly point out which commands should be used / link to the relevant documentation.
>Release-Note:
>Audit-Trail:
>Unformatted:
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