help with understanding diffs in startup files

help with understanding diffs in startup files

[Timothy J Luoma]

Well, there's this Linux account I have where there is some system file  
which is setting up some variables after my .zshenv.  Really annoying.  Sun  
and NeXT have never had this problem.

Anyway, the only systemwide I can find is /etc/zprofile, and it isn't in there.

Is there a way I can tell zsh to let me know what files it is sourcing  
during startup?

What else can I do to figure out where these alias definitions are coming from!??!?

Thanks
TjL

Re: help with understanding diffs in startup files

[Andrew Main]

Timothy J Luoma wrote:
>Well, there's this Linux account I have where there is some system file  
>which is setting up some variables after my .zshenv.  Really annoying.  Sun  
>and NeXT have never had this problem.

It is a particular problem with Slackware.

>Anyway, the only systemwide I can find is /etc/zprofile, and it isn't in there.

/etc/zlogin, /etc/zshrc and /etc/zshenv are also used if present.

>Is there a way I can tell zsh to let me know what files it is sourcing  
>during startup?

You could strace it.  "zsh -x" might also have some benefit.

-zefram

Re: help with understanding diffs in startup files

[Timothy J Luoma]

	Author:        Andrew Main <zefram@tao.co.uk>
	Original-Date: Mon, 8 Dec 1997 11:15:09 +0000 (GMT)
	Message-ID:    <199712081115.LAA29680@taos.demon.co.uk>

> It is a particular problem with Slackware.

This is Redhat I think

> >Anyway, the only systemwide I can find is /etc/zprofile, and it isn't in
> >there.
>
> /etc/zlogin, /etc/zshrc and /etc/zshenv are also used if present.

None of them are.

I've always just used one init file.  Perhaps this would be a good time to  
learn what should go in what file.

Where should variables go?
functions?
aliases?
bindkeys?

I am tempted to put them in .zlogin since that is read last but that is  
probably not right.

TjL

Re: help with understanding diffs in startup files

[Andrew Main]

Timothy J Luoma wrote:
>I've always just used one init file.  Perhaps this would be a good time to  
>learn what should go in what file.

Approximately speaking...

>Where should variables go?
>functions?

.zshenv

>aliases?
>bindkeys?

.zshrc

Actually, the division isn't that simple.  .zshenv should set up your
normal shell environment, including many options, most functions and
most variables.  .zshrc should set up your interactive shell environment,
including many options, all bindkeys and compctls, aliases, and functions
and variables that are only used interactively (such as compctl functions
and $HISTCHARS).  .zprofile (or .zlogin if you prefer) should contain
commands to run when you log in, and should not affect the environment
at all.

-zefram

Re: help with understanding diffs in startup files

[Bart Schaefer]

On Dec 8,  5:42am, Timothy J Luoma wrote:
} Subject: help with understanding diffs in startup files
}
} Well, there's this Linux account I have where there is some system file  
} which is setting up some variables after my .zshenv.  Really annoying.  Sun  
} and NeXT have never had this problem.

On Dec 8, 11:15am, Andrew Main wrote:
} 
} It is a particular problem with Slackware.

On Dec 8,  6:24am, Timothy J Luoma wrote:
} 
} This is Redhat I think

The contributed binary RPM for zsh-3.0.5 installs system-wide init files in
the directory /etc/zsh/:

/etc/zsh/zlogin
/etc/zsh/zlogout
/etc/zsh/zprofile
/etc/zsh/zshenv
/etc/zsh/zshrc

I haven't looked to see what's in each of them, because I build zsh myself,
so I didn't install the binary RPM.

On Dec 8, 12:11pm, Andrew Main wrote:
} Subject: Re: help with understanding diffs in startup files
}
} Timothy J Luoma wrote:
} >I've always just used one init file.  Perhaps this would be a good time to  
} >learn what should go in what file.
} 
} Actually, the division isn't that simple.  .zshenv should set up your
} normal shell environment, including many options, most functions and
} most variables.  .zshrc should set up your interactive shell environment,
} including many options, all bindkeys and compctls, aliases, and functions
} and variables that are only used interactively (such as compctl functions
} and $HISTCHARS).  .zprofile (or .zlogin if you prefer) should contain
} commands to run when you log in, and should not affect the environment
} at all.

I agree with everything but the last clause.  There's no reason to say
that .zprofile or .zlogin should not affect the environment; they should
contain commands, possibly including environment settings, that need to
happen at least once when you log in, but that then remain constant.

For example, my .zlogin does a number of tests of what host type I'm on,
what software is installed at what versions and where, and so on, and
manipulates the environment accordingly.  But that doesn't need to happen
every time I start any interactive shell -- unless of course a misguided
/etc/zshrc steps on my changes every time.

-- 
Bart Schaefer                                 Brass Lantern Enterprises
http://www.well.com/user/barts              http://www.brasslantern.com