Export <variable> is not working

[CompGuy2]

When running a Bourne shell, I create a variable, display the variable, then export the variable. The display works OK, but the export does not. Why?

Here is the contents of myshell.sh

myVar="this is a test"
echo "The contents of myVar: $myVar"
export $myVar

Here is what happens when I run the shell:
$sh myshell.sh
The contents of myVar: this is a test
$echo $myVar

$

I am able to edit my .profile and create/export a variable, then successfully echo the variable from the command line. Why doesn't export work from my shell?

Thanks,
Brian

 

[ayjaycee]

When you export a variable from your .profile, your shell "inherits" it.

When your run a script, a new shell is spawned, which holds the variable exported in the script. Once the script ends, the child shell is terminated. This returns control to the parent shell, which knows nothing of what variables were set by the child X-)

To force your shell to store the variable(s), you'll have to 'dot it'.

I.e., run . ./script

http://www.tanda.f2s.com

One by one, the penguins steal my sanity.

 

[trunix]

It sounds a bit of an anomoly, but 'export' does not actually export outside of the shell you are running. Therefore when your script has ended, you lose the variables even if they are exported. However if you call other scripts from within your script, then the variables will be exported to them.

 

[mbr]

Use

export myVar

instead of

export $myVar

, and the variable will be available to successive shells (export by name, not contents).