CODEWITHSUNDEEP
macosenvironmentsudopythonpath
Ickhyun Kwon
Ickhyun Kwon

Reputation: 1703

how to set environment variable for root user

I'm Mac user.

I want to set PYTHONPATH env for root. so 

$ sudo su -
# vi ~/.profile

and add to file 'export PYTHONPATH=/mypythonlib'

then 

# env

I can see this line 

PYTHONPATH=/Users/simpnet2/projects/meiji/src/hershey

but..

when I use sudo command, cannot find that

$ sudo env

.. there's no PYTHONPATH

My program has to run with sudo command and needs PYTHONPATH.

Upvotes: 11

Views: 41017

Answers (6)

ppppplv
ppppplv

Reputation: 471

Well, in other Linux system, it is also right that 'sudo' does not use local environment variable. But you can declare the temporary environment variable along with 'sudo' command.

For example, in your case, you can add 'PYTHONPATH=/mypythonlib' in your command 'sudo env', and the final command is:

sudo PYTHONPATH=/mypythonlib env

You can also read this article: Using sudo. You can see how 'sudo' keep or ignore user-defined environment variables.

Upvotes: 1

Thagomizer
Thagomizer

Reputation: 111

In the case of logging in as a normal user and invoking "su - root" I found that Mac OS 10.8.5's bash was ignoring .profile and .bash_profile; I was unable to change root's $PATH by editing those files. What did work was editing /etc/paths. After exiting the root shell and entering again with "su - root" the new path was present.

Upvotes: 0

user1756254
user1756254

Reputation: 369

You can make PYTHONPATH visible to sudo be editing your sudoers file. Notice you should ONLY do this through visudo as explained here.

Upvotes: 6

Gerardo Costilla
Gerardo Costilla

Reputation: 230

As of 10.8.5, putting my environment statements in the .profile path in the home of the root user (/var/root) worked. after quitting bash and coming back to the root user prompt with 'su -', I could see my new path, etc. with the 'env' command and my MacPorts installationw orking correctly.

MacBook-Pro:~ root# cat /var/root/.profile
export MANPATH=/opt/local/share/man:$MANPATH
export PATH=/opt/local/bin:/opt/local/sbin:$PATH
MacBook-Pro:~ root# which port
/opt/local/bin/port

Upvotes: 1

Tabitha
Tabitha

Reputation: 2603

If you use sh try /etc/profile, bash try /etc/bashrc and if you use zsh try /etc/zshenv.

Upvotes: 10

samplebias
samplebias

Reputation: 37909

You should try sudo -i which will simulate logging in as root and source the ~root/.profile.

Upvotes: 5

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