Date: Thu, 5 Apr 2007 10:06:04 GMT From: Victor Engmark<victor.engmark@gmail.com> To: freebsd-gnats-submit@FreeBSD.org Subject: docs/111265: Clarify how to set common shell variables Message-ID: <200704051006.l35A64xd024398@www.freebsd.org> Resent-Message-ID: <200704051020.l35AK4IV001552@freefall.freebsd.org>
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>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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