Tcl

Set an Environment Variable on an SSH Channel

Demonstrates the Chilkat Ssh.SendReqSetEnv method, which asks the server to set an environment variable for a session channel. The arguments are the channel number, the variable name, and its value. Send these requests before the exec, shell, or subsystem request.

Background: This is the clean way to pass configuration to a remote command without embedding it in the command line. Be aware that many SSH servers restrict which variables clients may set (OpenSSH's AcceptEnv), so a request can be silently ignored or rejected — do not rely on it without verifying the server's policy.

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Tcl


load ./chilkat.dll

set success 0

#  Demonstrates the Ssh.SendReqSetEnv method, which asks the server to set an environment
#  variable for a session channel.  The 1st argument is the channel number, the 2nd is the
#  variable name, and the 3rd is its value.  Send it before the exec, shell, or subsystem
#  request.

set ssh [new_CkSsh]

set sshPort 22
set success [CkSsh_Connect $ssh "ssh.example.com" $sshPort]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

#  Normally you would not hard-code the password in source.  You should instead obtain it
#  from an interactive prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
set password "mySshPassword"

set success [CkSsh_AuthenticatePw $ssh "mySshLogin" $password]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

#  Open a session channel.  A negative return value indicates failure.
set channelNum [CkSsh_OpenSessionChannel $ssh]
if {$channelNum < 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

#  Set environment variables for the channel.  Multiple variables may be requested.
set success [CkSsh_SendReqSetEnv $ssh $channelNum "LANG" "en_US.UTF-8"]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

set success [CkSsh_SendReqSetEnv $ssh $channelNum "MY_APP_MODE" "production"]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

#  Now run the command, which sees the requested environment.
set success [CkSsh_SendReqExec $ssh $channelNum "echo $MY_APP_MODE"]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

#  IMPORTANT: Set a read timeout.  ReadTimeoutMs defaults to 0, which means no limit -- without
#  it, this call waits forever if the server never sends channel close.
CkSsh_put_ReadTimeoutMs $ssh 15000

set success [CkSsh_ChannelReceiveToClose $ssh $channelNum]
if {$success == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

set output [CkSsh_getReceivedText $ssh $channelNum "utf-8"]
if {[CkSsh_get_LastMethodSuccess $ssh] == 0} then {
    puts [CkSsh_lastErrorText $ssh]
    delete_CkSsh $ssh
    exit
}

puts "$output"

CkSsh_Disconnect $ssh

delete_CkSsh $ssh