
\S shell variable:  export:  exported variable \S

A shell variable is a named location in the computer's memory for storing a
"string"\S*\S of characters for use in a "shell program"\S*\S.  By
convention, shell variables are named in capital letters. Some shell
variables in the UNIX system, e.g. "HOME"\S*\S, are created by the system
when you log in.  These shell variables make up your environment so they
are also called environment variables.  You can also create shell variables
as you need them.

When you create a shell variable, it is only accessible to the current
shell.  To make a variable accessible to other shells you create, you need
to "export" the variable. To do this you type

         export USER

where USER is the name of a shell variable you created.  USER becomes an
exported variable which is a shell variable that is accessible to all shell
processes created by the current shell.  (see also:  shell, shell language,
and shell program)

\S*\S defined in the \Sglossary\S
