[Tutor] accessing another system's environment

[Steve Willoughby]

On 25-Feb-11 19:27, Steve Willoughby wrote:

Wait.

Are you trying to figure out how, on a Unix system, to read Unix system 
environment variables as you're accustomed to doing on Windows?

Or are you saying you want to, from a remote Unix system, reach out to a 
Windows system and see that Windows system's system environment variables?


> On 25-Feb-11 18:50, Bill Allen wrote:
>> I apologize for not have been clear previously. What I am trying to
>> access are the Windows system environment variables. The same ones
>> that are listed out if you type the set command at a command prompt in
>> Windows.
>
> There isn't a "system" set of environment variables on Unix-like
> systems--there is a default "starting" set per user (although they are
> configurable per-process as has already been stated).
>
> Perhaps you want to see the set of variables for the "root" account? But
> again, I have to ask what you're really trying to accomplish.
> Environment variables are only such a small part of a system's
> configuration, on Windows or Unix/Linux. On a Windows box, I would
> probably be more interested in what's in the system registry, for
> example, and on a Unix system I'd want to see what's in various
> configuration files in /etc to know what's configured on that system.
>
> Environment variables, from the point of view of a random process
> running on the system, are pretty much the same on both Windows and
> Unix. Where they come from, and which are "system" or "user" variables,
> is quite different, and I suspect you're reaching for environment
> variables out of habit but that may not ultimately be what you're really
> looking for here.
>
> Or maybe it is. If it is, step back and consider WHOSE set of variables
> you really want? The root account? the account of a service that you're
> interested in? The default skeleton configuration files for new users?
> The environment of something you know to be running already?
>
> All of those things are possible to look at, if you know what you're
> really after and why it will help you accomplish what you need to do.
>
> --steve
>
>>
>>
>> --Bill
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Fri, Feb 25, 2011 at 03:11, Alan Gauld <alan.gauld at btinternet.com
>> <mailto:alan.gauld at btinternet.com>> wrote:
>>
>>
>> "Bill Allen" <wallenpb at gmail.com <mailto:wallenpb at gmail.com>> wrote
>>
>> I have times when it is useful for me to check the environment
>> of a user
>> system on our lan remotely while trouble shooting and issue with
>> them. Now,
>> this is quite easy to do while I am using a windows system via
>> the computer
>> management console.
>>
>>
>> I think we are meaning different things by "environment"?
>> Can you give a specific example?
>>
>>
>> However, I am trying to do this via a linux workstation
>> (which is joined to the domain, etc.). I cannot find a native
>> facility to duplicate the computer management functions, so I
>> thought I
>> would write a program to fill the need.
>>
>>
>> Anything you can do locally you can do on the remote
>> machine with a combination of ssh, rsh, rlogin, telnet etc.
>> ssh is the safest but requires a bit more admin to set it
>> up properly for maximum convenience.
>>
>> Having got remote access its just a case of figuring out
>> which of the 500 or so Unix commands you need to
>> use to do the job... :-)
>>
>>
>> HTH,
>>
>> --
>> Alan Gauld
>> Author of the Learn to Program web site
>> http://www.alan-g.me.uk/
>>
>>
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-- 
Steve Willoughby / steve at alchemy.com
"A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for."
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