python - os.getenv and os.environ don't see environment variables of my bash shell

Question

I am on ubuntu 13.04, bash, python2.7.4

The interpreter doesn\'t see variables I set.

Here is an example:

$ echo $A
5
$ pyth         


        

Answer 1

Aha! the solution is simple!

I was setting variables with plain $ A=5 command; when you use $ export B="kkk" everything is fine.

That is because export makes the variable available to sub-processes:

• it creates a variable in the shell
• and exports it into the environment of the shell
• the list environment is passed to sub-processes of the shell.

Plain $ A="kkk" just creates variables in the shell and doesn't do anything with the environment.

The interpreter called from the shell obtains it's environment from the parent -- the shell. So really the variable should be exported into the environment before.

Answer 2

Those variables (parameters in bash terminology) are not environment variables. You want to export them into the environment, using export or declare -x. See the bash documentation on environment.