Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!nuchat!peter
From: peter@nuchat.UUCP (Peter da Silva)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga
Subject: Re: getenv() -- Lattice 4.0
Message-ID: <669@nuchat.UUCP>
Date: 21 Feb 88 02:42:20 GMT
References: <6893@agate.BERKELEY.EDU> <334@sas.UUCP>
Organization: Public Access - Houston, Tx
Lines: 24
Keywords: getenv, stdlib.h, Lattice

> [Explanation of why Lattice "getenv" searches the assign list, based on
>  loose terminology in the ANSI draft standard]

If you notice, it does say that getenv returns a *string*, which to me
implies a null terminated sequence of characters. Besides, there's more
to writing a good 'C' library than just following ANSI. The semantics of
getenv should be the same as the semantics of the UNIX getenv function.
This is what any portable programs will be looking for, and that after
all is the purpose of ANSI 'C'. Getenv variables don't have to be local
but shared by child processes, as the UNIX ones are. Making them global
as Manx does is OK... however they should be names that the user can assign
arbitrary character strings to befoire running your program.

If you don't like Manx's method of hiding them, you could always store them
in RAM:ENVIRON or something. It'd be better to maintain compatibility on
that level, since it's become a bit of a standard (well, the ARP people seem
to like it).

Suggestion for C=: come up with formal support for environment variables in
some future version of the Amiga O/S.
-- 
-- a clone of Peter (have you hugged your wolf today) da Silva  `-_-'
-- normally  ...!hoptoad!academ!uhnix1!sugar!peter                U
-- Disclaimer: These aren't mere opinions... these are *values*.