How can I set environment variables for a graphical login on linux?

Posted by Ryan Thompson on Super User See other posts from Super User or by Ryan Thompson
Published on 2010-03-18T07:11:07Z Indexed on 2010/03/18 7:21 UTC
Read the original article Hit count: 283

Filed under:

linux

|

environment-variables

|

xorg

I'm looking for a way to set arbitrary environment variables for my graphical login on linux. I am not talking about starting a terminal and exporting environment variables within the terminal, because those variables only exist within that one terminal. I want to know how to set an environment variable that will apply to all programs started in my graphical session.

In other words, what's the Xorg equivalent of ~/.bash_login?

© Super User or respective owner

Related posts about linux

apt-get install and update fail

as seen on Ask Ubuntu - Search for 'Ask Ubuntu'
I've got a problem with apt-get update and apt-get install ... commands . every time update or installing fails and errors are : Get:1 http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg [198B] Ign http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable/main Translation-en_US Get:2 http://dl… >>> More
kernel module compiling error

as seen on Ask Ubuntu - Search for 'Ask Ubuntu'
sh@ubuntu:/home/ccpp/helloworld$ make gcc-4.6 -O2 -DMODULE -D_KERNEL_ -W -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Wmissing-prototypes -isystem /lib/modules/`uname -r`/build/include -c -o hello-1.o hello-1.c hello-1.c:4:0: warning: "MODULE" redefined [enabled by default] <command-line>:0:0: note: this is… >>> More
Build-Essentials installation failing

as seen on Ask Ubuntu - Search for 'Ask Ubuntu'
I am having trouble accessing the several critical header files that show to be a part of the build process. The "Ubuntu Software Center" shows "Build Essentials" as installed: Next I did the following two commands, which did not improve the problem: ~$ sudo apt-get install build-essential [sudo]… >>> More
Updating Debian kernel

as seen on Super User - Search for 'Super User'
I'm trying to update my Debian machine to 2.6.32-46 (which is the new stable). However, after doing apt-get update my apt-cache search linux-image shows me: linux-headers-2.6.32-5-486 - Header files for Linux 2.6.32-5-486 linux-headers-2.6.32-5-686-bigmem - Header files for Linux 2.6.32-5-686-bigmem linux-headers-2… >>> More
Serial connection over a single USB cable (Windows to linux, or linux to linux)

as seen on Server Fault - Search for 'Server Fault'
I'm helping out with a project for an embedded device that only has USB and no serial. This device is running Linux. These days, when we need to connect to a serial port on a device we typically use a USB to serial adapter (on something like a phone system or a load balancing device, etc). I would… >>> More

Related posts about environment-variables

System Expandable-String Environment Variables Can’t Reference User Environment Variables

as seen on Super User - Search for 'Super User'
Hi, I’ve run into a bit of a situation with Windows environment variables. I’ve narrowed it down to what may or may not makes sense and/or possibly be by design. It seems that expandable-string environment variables of the local machine cannot reference environment variables of the current user. For… >>> More
PowerShell: can't modify environment variables

as seen on Super User - Search for 'Super User'
I have an environment variable set via "system properties - advanced - Environment Variables". I modified the variable's value. In cmd, I see the new value. In PowerShell, the value is still the old value. Trying to set it with [Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable doesn't have any effect. >>> More
Set environment variables from within a bash shell

as seen on Super User - Search for 'Super User'
Hi, Is there a way to set environment variables from within a (bash) shell script? I want to set some environment variables on some servers using a small script rather than typing. Some forum posts believe it is impossible. Any Ideas? >>> More
Is there a way to set Windows environment variables from the command line PERMANENTLY

as seen on Super User - Search for 'Super User'
Is there any way to set permanently set an environment variable system wide from the command line in Windows? something like >systemset newVar=foo or a file to edit would work well too. >>> More
Change environment variables as standard user (Windows 7)

as seen on Super User - Search for 'Super User'
When clicking on "Advanced system settings", I need to login as the administrator and hence only edit the administrators environment variables (in addition to the machine wide ones). How do I edit the environment variables of a standard user? Details With the migration to Windows 7, I decided to… >>> More