Setting an environment variable with JS

[Mike Hale]

In a different post X showed how to access an environment variable.

Code: Select allvar cname = $.getenv("COMPUTERNAME");

Is there a way to set a new environment variable?

Mike

[xbytor]

I was about to say "No", but they added this to CS3:

Code: Select all$.setenv (envname, value)

Very cool. It's nice to see the APIs getting filled out in some places like this.

-X

[Mike Hale]

Thanks X,

Have you done any thing using the variable 'JSINCLUDE'?

I can't get it to work in CS2.

Mike

[xbytor]

I expect that JSINCLUDE would have to be set _before_ PS is launched. At least, that would be typical of how environment variables are used. Setting an environment variable in a process often will only effect and subprocess that is later created. The exact behavior depends on the programming language and environment.

-X

[Mike Hale]

Yes it needs to be set before Photoshop is opened. And ESKT as well if you are using it.

However even with a restart I can't get it to work. I guess this is yet another item that Adobe didn't finish before CS2 shipped.

I'll try it in CS3 next.

Mike

[undavide]

For some reason I can't get anything from this list but "null":

Code: Select all$.writeln("ALLUSERSPROFILE  == "+  $.getenv("ALLUSERSPROFILE"));
$.writeln("APPDATA  == "+  $.getenv("APPDATA"));
$.writeln("CommonProgramFiles  == "+  $.getenv("CommonProgramFiles"));
$.writeln("COMPUTERNAME  == "+  $.getenv("COMPUTERNAME"));
$.writeln("ComSpec  == "+  $.getenv("ComSpec"));
$.writeln("HOMEDRIVE  == "+  $.getenv("HOMEDRIVE"));
$.writeln("HOMEPATH  == "+  $.getenv("HOMEPATH"));
$.writeln("LOGONSERVER  == "+  $.getenv("LOGONSERVER"));
$.writeln("NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS  == "+  $.getenv("NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS"));
$.writeln("OS  == "+  $.getenv("OS"));
$.writeln("Os2LibPath  == "+  $.getenv("Os2LibPath"));
$.writeln("Path  == "+  $.getenv("Path"));
$.writeln("PATHEXT  == "+  $.getenv("PATHEXT"));
$.writeln("PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE  == "+  $.getenv("PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE"));
$.writeln("PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER  == "+  $.getenv("PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER"));
$.writeln("PROCESSOR_LEVEL  == "+  $.getenv("PROCESSOR_LEVEL"));
$.writeln("PROCESSOR_REVISION  == "+  $.getenv("PROCESSOR_REVISION"));
$.writeln("ProgramFiles  == "+  $.getenv("ProgramFiles"));
$.writeln("SystemDrive  == "+  $.getenv("SystemDrive"));
$.writeln("SystemRoot  == "+  $.getenv("SystemRoot"));
$.writeln("TEMP  == "+  $.getenv("TEMP"));
$.writeln("TMP  == "+  $.getenv("TMP"));
$.writeln("USERDOMAIN  == "+  $.getenv("USERDOMAIN"));
$.writeln("USERNAME  == "+  $.getenv("USERNAME"));
$.writeln("USERPROFILE  == "+  $.getenv("USERPROFILE"));
$.writeln("windir  == "+  $.getenv("windir"));

It looks like this is a list of Win-only environment variables, and I'm on PS CS6, OSX.
Is there a way to get a Mac list?
Thank you!

Davide

[Paul MR]

$.setenv(); is a Photoshop variable, not an environment variable that exist for the duration of Photoshop session.
$.getenv(); will get a system or Photoshop variable.

To get a list on a Mac, open a terminal window and enter "set", same on a windows machine but from a dos prompt.

[undavide]

Thanks Paul!
I'm wondering what use one could do of PS variables set via $.setenv() (globals?)

Davide

[Paul MR]

It's great for passing information between scripts, this method has been used in some of the Deco scripts that are about.
It is also a way of setting a Photoshop variable from VBS etc. rather that writing to file and reading from that.