Environment Variables

Below is a list of environment variables that can be used within SlickEdit® Core. Configuration environment variables are set in the operating system or in vslick.ini file. For more information see Setting Environment Variables in vslick.ini

You can also use the set command from the SlickEdit Core command line to temporarily change one of the configuration environment variables or any other environment variable. See Using the set Command for more information.

Caution

Do not set the VSECLIPSECONFIG environment variable in vslick.ini. VSECLIPSECONFIG determines where the editor looks for vslick.ini. When the editor starts up, it sets the value of environment variables specified in vslick.ini. For more information, see Setting Environment Variables in vslick.ini.

Environment Variable	Description
VSLICKRESTORE	Directory to store Auto Restore files.
VSECLIPSECONFIG	Directory where user's local configuration files are stored. Used in multi-user environments. Defaults to: (Windows) `.../My Documents/My SlickEdit Core Config/[version]/` (Linux, UNIX) `$HOME/.secore/[version]/` Note that VSLICKCONFIG and VSLICKCLASSICCONFIG are no longer supported. VSLICKCONFIG has been replaced with a new variable, VSECLIPSECONFIG.
VSLICK	Specifies additional command line arguments to editor as if you were typing them in when invoking the editor. .
VSLICKPATH	One or more directories separated with a semicolon (;) (or a colon [:] on UNIX) where batch macros or executable files are searched.
VSLICKMACROS	One or more directories separated with a semicolon (;) (or a colon [:] on UNIX) that contain macro files (`.e`). VSLICKPATH* must also contain the directories listed here.
VSLICKBIN	One or more directories separated with a semicolon (;) (or a colon [:] on UNIX) that contain binary files. VSLICKPATH must also contain the directories listed here.
VSLICKBITMAPS	One or more directories separated with a semicolon (;) (or a colon [:] on UNIX) that contain bitmap files (`.bmp`). VSLICKPATH* must also contain the directories listed here.
VSLICKMISC	One or more directories separated with a semicolon (;) (or a colon [:] on UNIX) that contain miscellaneous files including `.vlx`, `.slk`, `.api`, `.idx`, `vslick.sta` (UNIX: `vslick.stu`), `.hlp`, `scommon.lst`, `main.dct`, `.pif`, `.ini` (except for `vslick.ini`), and `.lst`. VSLICKPATH must also contain the directories listed here.
VSLICKALIAS	One or more file names separated with a semicolon (;) (or a colon [:] on UNIX) that contain alias definitions.
VSLICKTAGS	Specifies global tag files. One or more file names separated with a semicolon (;) (or a colon [:] on UNIX) that contain tags. Do not put this environment variable in `vslick.ini`.
VSLICKBACKUP	Directory to place backup files. Affects +D (default) and -D backup configurations only.
VSLICKSAVE	Allows save options to be specified per drive.
VSLICKLOAD	Allows load options to be specified per drive.
VSLICK_XIM	Set this to VSLICK_XIM=scim to activate the Smart Common Input Method (SCIM) editor. XMODIFIERS (XMODIFIERS=@scim) is set by your operating system and you must enable SCIM support for this option to have any effect. (This may cause keyboard input instability.)
VSLICKXTERM	(UNIX only) Allows you to specify the default xterm program and arguments used by the dos command and shell function. The complete path to the xterm program must be specified. You may not specify the -e option in the command string. For example, setting VSLICKXTERM to: /usr/X11/bin/xterm -geometry 80x40 will create xterm windows with a width of 80 characters and a height of 40 characters.
VSUSER	The License Manager handles system crashes better if each user sets the VSUSER environment variable to a unique name.
VST	Specifies additional command line arguments to the macro compiler as if you typed them in when invoking the compiler.
VSLICKXNOBLINK	Suppresses the blinking cursor.
VSLICKXNOPLUSNEWMSG	Suppresses a message when starting a second instance of SlickEdit Core.

Setting Environment Variables in vslick.ini

Along with whatever facilities are provided by your operating system to set environement variables, you can set configuration environment variables in the file vslick.ini. This file is located in the following default directory based on your platform (if it does not exist, it can be created manually):

Windows: .../My Documents/My SlickEdit Core Config/[version]/
Linux and UNIX: $HOME/.secore/[version]/

Below is text from a sample vslick.ini file with an environment section.

[Environment]
VSLICKPATH=c:\vslick\win;c:\vslick\macros;c:\vslick\bitmaps;c:\vmacros
VSLICKALIAS=c:\vmacros\alias.slk
VSLICKINCLUDE=c:\vslick\macros;c:\vmacros
VSLICKLOAD=a: +l b: +l
VSLICKSAVE=a: +o b: +o
MYPROJECTVERSION=c:\myprog4.2

When the editor starts, the following environment variables are created by the editor:

VSDRIVE - Drive letter followed by a colon (:) where editor executable resides.
VSDIR - Directory of editor executable with a trailing backslash (UNIX: slash).

Environment variables can be embedded in any line within a section by placing % characters around the environment variable.

Using the set Command

Change or view the environment while running using the set command on the SlickEdit Core command line. The operation of the built-in set command is almost identical to the DOS SET command. Use the set command to temporarily change one of the configuration environment variables or any other environment variable. For a complete listing of configuration environment variables, see Environment Variables. The syntax of the set command is:

set [envvar_name [=value]]

When you invoke the set command with no parameters, a new buffer is created and the current environment variable settings are inserted. The current value of an individual environment variable may be retrieved by executing the set command followed by the name of the environment variable. Specify the name of the environment variable followed by an equal sign and the new value will replace the value of an existing environment variable or assign a value to a new environment variable.

To remove an environment variable, specify the name of the environment variable followed by an equal sign, but omit the value parameter (ex. set classpath=). The DOS command shell removes environment variables in this way also.

The following steps are a convenient way to change the PATH environment variable:

Press Esc to toggle the cursor to the command line.
Type set path and press Enter. This will place the current value of the PATH variable on the command line.
Edit the current value and press Enter.

You can use the above steps to change the value of any other environment variable by specifying a different environment variable name in the second step. The set command supports completion on the environment variable name. Typing set ? on the command line will give you a selection list of all of the environment variable names.