On Fri, 29 Sep 2017, L A Walsh wrote:
> Chet Ramey wrote: > > > > This is all correct. The change was introduced for a reason, and > > accommodating a rare occurrence by backing it out would be non- > > productive. > > > --- > The reason?: > > Why does bash clear OLDPWD when a child script is started? > > OLDPWD is exported and passed to any children, but bash apparently clears > OLDPWD whenever a child script is started... > > GNU bash, version 4.1.2(1)-release (x86_64-redhat-linux-gnu) > > Can bash be fixed to preserve the value of any OLDPWD in its initial > environment, like it does with PWD? > --- > > I don't see a reason... > I see a "want", but no real reason.... > > I'd agree it's a rare event to hit though, but when you do... > > Requires console access, but changing /etc/profile to > insert a bad OLDPWD to a known down network location might not be > considered a trivial occurrence to someone stressed out and trying to log > in and find out why everyone logging in is hanging... I don't set up OLDPWD in /etc/profile. I start the desktop environment from console using the "startx" command (I don't use graphical login screen) and the desktop environment inherits all variables that were there when I was working with bash on the console - including $OLDPWD. A similar problem may happen if you start daemons using scripts in /etc/init.d/ (i.e. not using systemd) - in this case, the daemon also inherits all environment variables that were there when the admin was working with the shell, inclunding $OLDPWD. Mikulas
