lynx-dev Env var documentation

[Klaus Weide]

On Sat, 5 Dec 1998, Kim DeVaughn wrote:

> I've also made a first attempt at adding an ENVIRONMENT section to the
> man page. and in addition to the variables for the above, included the
> more common (and some not-so-common) lynx-specific env vars, and a few
> general ones, as well.

Since you already went to to trouble, may I suggest some refinements and
hope that you will generate patches? :)

It could be useful to separate the variables _set_ by lynx more clearly
from those being _used_ by lynx.  Maybe even two separate sections
(although that might be against established Unix manpage customs?).

LYNX_VERSION is aways being set and should be listed.  There are
comments about its use in the sample mailcap file.


For executing lynxcgi scripts (if enabled), the following variables may be
set for simulating a CGI environment:
  CONTENT_LENGTH
  CONTENT_TYPE
  DOCUMENT_ROOT
  HTTP_ACCEPT_CHARSET
  HTTP_ACCEPT_LANGUAGE
  HTTP_USER_AGENT
  PATH_INFO
  PATH_TRANSLATED
  QUERY_STRING
  REMOTE_ADDR
  REMOTE_HOST
  REQUEST_METHOD
  SERVER_SOFTWARE
Other environment variables are normally not inherited by the script
unless they are enabled with a LYNXCGI_ENVIRONMENT line in the
configuration file.  See lynx.cfg, [URL for CGI specification].

> I punted on the normal (for UNIX) env vars, like HOME, PATH, TERM, etc,
> though if someone thinks they need to be in there for other platforms,
> please feel free to add them.

Note that TERM is also _set_/modified, for example if lynx is invoked with
 -term=..., see setup() in LYCurses.c.  This is worth mentioning.


> Against 2.8.2dev.8:

> diff -uNr lynx-2.8.2-dev.8.orig/lynx.man lynx-2.8.2-dev.8+kd/lynx.man
> --- lynx-2.8.2-dev.8.orig/lynx.man    Tue Oct 27 18:08:12 1998
> +++ lynx-2.8.2-dev.8+kd/lynx.man      Sat Dec  5 19:01:31 1998
> @@ -548,6 +548,118 @@
>  .br
>  o Type \fB"K"\fR for a complete list of the current key-stroke
>  command mappings.
> +.SH ENVIRONMENT
> +In addition to various "standard" environment variables such as
> +\fBHOME\fR, \fBPATH\fR, \fBDISPLAY\fR, \fBTERM\fR, \fBLINES\fR,
> +\fBCOLUMNS\fR, \fBTMPDIR\fR, \fBetc\fR,
> +\fILynx\fR utilizes the following environment variables, if they exist
> +(some may be created by \fILynx\fR to pass data to an external program):
> +.TP 20
> +.B COLORTERM
> +If set, color capability for the terminal is inferred at startup time.
> +[Usage of this variable is dependent on the screen handling library used
> +to build \fILynx\fR (curses, ncurses, or slang).]

Could mention that the value is unimportant, only existence is checked.
Only used with slang.

(I also find the description "is inferred" incorrect or at least unclear;
actually the inferring, i.e. from TERM name and description, is skipped
and color is forced on.)

> +.TP 20
> +.B LYNX_CFG
> +This variable, if set, will override the default location and name of
> +the global configuration file (normally, \fBlynx.cfg\fR) that was defined
> +by the LYNX_CFG_FILE constant in the userdefs.h file, during installation.
> +See the userdefs.h file for more information.
> +.TP 20
> +.B LYNX_LSS
> +This variable, if set, specifies the location of the default \fILynx\fR
> +character style sheet file.

...if lynx is compiled with experimental color style support.

> +.B LYNX_SAVE_SPACE
> +This variable, if set, will override the default path prefix for files
> +saved to disk that is defined in the \fBlynx.cfg SAVE_SPACE:\fR statement.
> +See the \fBlynx.cfg\fR file for more information.
> +.TP 20
> +.B LYNX_TEMP_SPACE
> +This variable, if set, will override the default path prefix for temporary
> +files that is defined in the \fBlynx.cfg TEMP_SPACE:\fR statement.
> +See the \fBlynx.cfg\fR file for more information.

TEMP_SPACE is actually not in lynx.cfg, it is only a #define in userdefs.h.
Should mention that LYNX_TERM_SPACE overrides TMPDIR.

> +.B PROTOCOL_proxy
> +\fILynx\fR supports the use of proxy servers that can act as firewall
> +gateways and caching servers.  They are preferable to the older gateway
> +servers (see WWW_access_GATEWAY, below).  Each protocol used by \fILynx\fR

, for example http, ftp, gopher, and so on,

> +can be mapped separately using PROTOCOL_proxy environment variables of
> +the form: 'http_proxy "http://some.server.dom:port/";'.

suggested change:

   can be mapped separately by setting environment variables of
   the form PROTOCOL_proxy (i.e. http_proxy, ftp_proxy, gopher_proxy etc.)
   to "http://some.server.dom:port/";.
              
> +See the \fBINSTALLATION\fR file in the \fILynx\fR distribution for details,
> +and examples.
> +.TP 20
> +.B WWW_access_GATEWAY
> +\fILynx\fR still supports use of gateway servers, with the servers specified
> +via "WWW_access_GATEWAY" variables, where "access" is lower case and can be
> +"http", "ftp", "gopher" or "wais".  Most gateway servers have been
> +discontinued, but "http://www.w3.org:8001"; is available for wais searches
> +(note that you do not include a terminal '/' for gateways, but do for proxies
> +specified by PROTOCOL_proxy environment variables.

[ There's a ')' missing somewhere. ]
Is it true that http://www.w3.org:8001 sometimes works?  AFAIK it has been dead
for a long time.


     Klaus