envget#

Purpose#

Returns the value of an environment variable from your operating system.

Format#

name = envget(s)#

Parameters:: s (string) – the name to be searched for.
Returns:: name (string) – the value of the environment variable or a null string if it is not found.

Examples#

Example 1#

Get the path to the home directory on Windows.

/*
** %USERPROFILE% is the user's home
** directory on most Windows systems
*/
hm_dir = envget("USERPROFILE");

Get the path to the home directory on macOS or Linux.

/*
** $HOME is the user's home
** directory on macOS and Linux
*/
hm_dir = envget("HOME");

Example 2#

Below is an example of a procedure that will open a data file using a path stored in an environment string called DPATH.

proc dopen(file);
   local fname, fp;

   fname = envget("DPATH");

   // Check to see if DPATH is set or empty
   if fname $== "";

      fname = file;

   else;
      /*
      ** Check to see if 'fname' ends with
      ** a path separator
      */
      if strsect(fname, strlen(fname), 1) $== "\\";
         fname = fname $+ file;
      else;
         fname = fname $+ "\\" $+ file;
      endif;
   endif;

   open fp = ^fname;

   retp(fp);
endp;

The procedure returns the file handle and is called as follows:

fp = dopen("myfile");