Ubuntu – How to set persistent environment variables for root

environment-variablesroot

To create persistent environment variables, I add the script file to /etc/profile.d directory, for example:

# my script
export MY_VAR=var_value

This works properly for current user:

alex@alex-64:~$ echo $MY_VAR
var_value

Now I need the same environment variables for the root user, but /etc/profile.d script doesn't work for root:

alex@alex-64:~$ echo $MY_VAR
var_value
alex@alex-64:~$ sudo su
root@alex-64:/home/alex# echo $MY_VAR

root@alex-64:/home/alex#

How can I set the same variables for the root?

Best Answer

sudo does not normally preserve local environment variables. You should use it with the -E switch to do so, i.e. sudo -E su will preserve $MYVAR for root.

Alternatively, to create persistent variables that are truly system-wide, you should set them in /etc/environment.

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – Can’t Set Environment Variables in ~/.profile

Here is the story:

~/.profile - In this file you can also place environment variable assignments, since it gets executed automatically by the DisplayManager during the start-up process desktop session as well as by the login shell when one logs-in from the textual console.

(source)

solution: export the variables defined in .profile.

export VAR1=foo
solution: put the variables in .bashrc, open a terminal and start QtCreator from command line. It should have the variables. Don't forget to export them:
```
export VAR1=foo
```
solution: create a wrapper for starting your program, a small script that you run instead of running the program directly:
```
#!/bin/bash

export VAR1=foo
program
```
or
```
 #!/bin/bash

 VAR1=foo program
```
solution: edit the .desktop file used to launch the application by modifying the execute line to
```
 VAR1=foo program
```
instead of
```
 program
```
(haven't tested that, but it should work)
solution: change the environment. You are right in your comment that programs do get an environment, even if they do not read it from the .profile. The system-wide environment is in /etc/environment, but you can also set it per session, in a file in your home directory called .pam_environment. See here for more information. By the way, this page neatly explains what all the different files do and when to use which.

However, I prefer solutions 1-3, because they change the environment of the program only, and not of the whole session.

Ubuntu – Can’t a process see environment variables set in /etc/environment

Read carefully sudoers man page Command environment section.

try -i option: if sudo's -i option (initial login) is specified, sudoers will initialize the environment regardless of the value of env_reset. The DISPLAY, PATH and TERM variables remain unchanged; HOME, MAIL, SHELL, USER, and LOGNAME are set based on the target user. On AIX (and Linux systems without PAM), the contents of /etc/environment are also included. All other environment variables are removed..

    sudo -u administrator -i "~administrator/BuildAgent/bin/agent.sh start"

If you are using PAM authentication, here is a useful link: Difference between /etc/security/pam_env.conf and /etc/environment + making sudo read pam_env.conf

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – Can’t Set Environment Variables in ~/.profile

Ubuntu – Can’t a process see environment variables set in /etc/environment

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