I am new to SUSE but familiar with Linux. I have been using Mandrake several years but one program that I need made me to learn SUSE.
I am trying to set environment variables for my user account but no luck so far.
I added following variables in ~/.profile and reloged in but no effect.

####### Added variables ##########
PATH=$PATH:$HOME/bin:/usr/local/bin
export PATH
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/usr/local/matlab13/bin/glnx86:/usr/local/matlab13/sys/os/glnx86:/usr/local/ntel_mkl_72/mkl72/lib/32:/usr/local/intel_fc_81/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH
export INCLUDE=/usr/local/intel_mkl_72/mkl72/include
INTEL_LICENSE_FILE=/usr/local/intel_fc_81/licenses
LM_LICENSE_FIL=/usr/local/ABAQUS/abaqus
export INTEL_LICENSE_FILE
export LM_LICENSE_FILE
######### up to here #######

I don't see LD_LIBRARY_PATH, INTEL_LICENSE_FILE and LM_LICENSE_FILE as an output of 'export' command. Am I doing something wrong here ?
This same setting works fine on Mandrake 10.0, 10.1. I am kind of lost.


Thanks for reply in advance.

I wonder why your reply went wide screen? No matter...

Environment gets set by multiple things (/etc/profile, /etc/bashrc, $HOME/.profile, $HOME/.bashrc and perhaps others).

If the .profile has another line lower that sets LD_LIBRARY_PATH= that does NOT start LD_LIBRARY_PATH=$LD_LIBRARY_PATH:....
then it will simply overwrite anything in LD_LIBRARY_PATH to that point rather than appending. Similarly if .bashrc has anything setting LD_LIBRARY_PATH
then it will overwrite. Also any of these files may be "sourcing" other environmental files that sets LD_LIBRARY_PATH. Usually a file being "sourced" will
be in one of the others with ". <filename>" (dot space <filename>). Also if its calling a script that sets a variable (no dot space - just a name or sh then a
name) it could be setting a variable. You'd basically need to examine your .profile and .bashrc for these (assuming you're using bash as your shell - if
using ksh it wouldn't read .bashrc and if using csh it wouldn't read .profile or .bashrc - it would read .login).

Thanks for replying jlightner.

First, I am using bash.
I didn't change anything in ~/.profile, ~./bashrc and /etc/profile, /etc/bashrc from default installation except
appending the environment variables that are listed in the first post in ~/.profile.
Even 'export INTEL_LICENSE_FILE=/usr/local/intel_fc_81/licenses' command in a shell window does not set this variable.
I am really confused.

Odd that a command line change after login wouldn't work.

It may not matter if you changes .bashrc - it may just be different by default on your new distro. I'd certainly explore it.

Do "ps" from command line (no options to "ps" - just "ps" by itself). This will show what you're running.
Just suggesting you do this to verify you are in fact running bash as you think.

Also I hate to ask but just to be sure: You do know that after setting variable you have to reference it by prepending
a dollar sign (e.g. PATH= defines it but $PATH is what you have to look at afterwards)? Not trying to insult you just
not sure what you know.


Assuming you ARE running bash and have set the variable as you state try:

"echo $INTEL_LICENSE_FILE" to see if it shows anything.

It may be that the shell you're using somehow doesn't understand the "export VAR=...." format. Try doing it the old
fashioned way where you define on one line then export on the next:

VAR=...
export VAR


I haven't used Mandrake. Apparently there is one distro (Ubuntu?) that only allows you to do things as root with sudo so
maybe Mandrake has some wierd setup like that where it protects the root environment. Are you doing the export as the
root user or as a non-root user? If non-root what happens if you try it as root or vice-versa?

A final thought. You're not setting the environment then typing in bash or su are you?

Thanks lightner again for your reply.

I am very confused. Now it works fine. I just re-logged in and every variable was set properly.
very odd. Now I can try what I really need.