ASPEN ksh and A__z variable
Jim Smithson
jsmithso at aut.UUCP
Thu May 10 02:12:59 AEST 1990
Here is a weird problem. I am running ASPEN KSH on an NCR Tower 32/650
under UNIX Sys V rel. 02.01.01. After installing ASPEN KSH I noticed
that my `at` jobs no longer worked. I have tracked the problem down
to the following bogus line in the job file which resides in direcctory
/usr/spool/cron/atjobs.
export A__z; A__z="! MAIL="*TMOUT=! HOME="
Note that most of the strings match the variables which should be "readonly".
The problem with this line is the 3 double quotes. When /bin/sh
subsequently executes the job file it has an unmatched ".
I have no idea where this variable A__z came from and even weirder is that
I cannot unset it with `unset A__z`. STILL stranger is I can define another
A__z variable and not affect the original one. (see following)
< just after login >
INPUT> env | grep A__z
A__z=! MAIL="*TMOUT=! HOME=
INPUT> set |grep A__z <- Note: no output
INPUT> A__z="Why Me?";export A__z
INPUT> env | grep A__z
A__z=! MAIL="*TMOUT=! HOME= <--------
INPUT> set |grep A__z |- Why the difference?
A__z=Why Me? <--------
INPUT> unset A__z
INPUT> env | grep A__z
A__z=! MAIL="*TMOUT=! HOME=
INPUT> set |grep A__z
Obviously `set`(ksh builtin) and `/bin/env` don't agree on the value of
shell variable A__z. Is A__z a "shell variable"?
How can I get rid of this trash variable? How did it get in my environment?
Any help would be appreciated.
As an aside, the use of `at` on System V release 2 should only be allowed
to those who are to be trusted as root. There is a backdoor method of becoming
root using the `at` command.
--
James R. Smithson Ascom Autelca AG CH-3073 Guemligen/Switzerland
E-mail: jsmithso at aut.UUCP FAX: +41 31 527 745 Voice : +41 31 529 214
UUCP: ...!uunet!mcsun!chx400!hslrswi!aut!jsmithso
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