I've written the following Emacs package debug script which can be
run by `$ bash /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el`:

```emacs-lisp
#!/usr/bin/env bash
:;# $ realpath init.el
:;# /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el
:; HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(realpath -e $0))) proxychains-ng-socks5
/usr/local/bin/emacs -- "$@"; exit

;;Bootstrap straight
(defvar bootstrap-version)
(let ((bootstrap-file
(expand-file-name "straight/repos/straight.el/bootstrap.el"
user-emacs-directory))
(bootstrap-version 5))
(unless (file-exists-p bootstrap-file)
(with-current-buffer
(url-retrieve-synchronously
"https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raxod502/straight.el/develop/install.el"
'silent 'inhibit-cookies)
(goto-char (point-max))
(eval-print-last-sexp)))
(load bootstrap-file nil 'nomessage))
(straight-use-package 'use-package)
(setq straight-use-package-by-default t)

(use-package company
:demand t
:hook
(after-init . global-company-mode))
```
But the `proxychains-ng-socks5` wrapper script relies on the normal HOME variable setting. How to solve this dilemma?

Regards,
HZ

On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:47:48 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:

> I've written the following Emacs package debug script which can be
> run by `$ bash /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el`:
>
> ```emacs-lisp
> #!/usr/bin/env bash
> :;# $ realpath init.el
> :;# /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el
> :; HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(realpath -e $0))) proxychains-ng-socks5
> /usr/local/bin/emacs -- "$@"; exit
>
> ;;Bootstrap straight
> (defvar bootstrap-version)
> (let ((bootstrap-file
> (expand-file-name "straight/repos/straight.el/bootstrap.el"
> user-emacs-directory))
> (bootstrap-version 5))
> (unless (file-exists-p bootstrap-file)
> (with-current-buffer
> (url-retrieve-synchronously
> "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raxod502/straight.el/develop/install.el"
> 'silent 'inhibit-cookies)
> (goto-char (point-max))
> (eval-print-last-sexp)))
> (load bootstrap-file nil 'nomessage))
> (straight-use-package 'use-package)
> (setq straight-use-package-by-default t)
>
> (use-package company
> :demand t
> :hook
> (after-init . global-company-mode))
> ```
> But the `proxychains-ng-socks5` wrapper script relies on the normal HOME
> variable setting. How to solve this dilemma?

Well, you /could/ derive your version of HOME differently. Yes, let's go
with that.

Initially, HOME is derived from the 6th field in the user's
/etc/passwd entry. You could
- use whoami(1) to determine the username
- use grep(1) and cut(1) (alternately, just awk(1) )to parse /etc/passwd
and extract the home directory of the selected username
- use that extracted home directory value to set your HOME variable

HTH
--
Lew Pitcher
"In Skills, We Trust"

On Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 9:55:32 PM UTC+8, Lew Pitcher wrote:
> On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:47:48 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
>
> > I've written the following Emacs package debug script which can be
> > run by `$ bash /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el`:
> >
> > ```emacs-lisp
> > #!/usr/bin/env bash
> > :;# $ realpath init.el
> > :;# /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el
> > :; HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(realpath -e $0))) proxychains-ng-socks5
> > /usr/local/bin/emacs -- "$@"; exit
> >
> > ;;Bootstrap straight
> > (defvar bootstrap-version)
> > (let ((bootstrap-file
> > (expand-file-name "straight/repos/straight.el/bootstrap.el"
> > user-emacs-directory))
> > (bootstrap-version 5))
> > (unless (file-exists-p bootstrap-file)
> > (with-current-buffer
> > (url-retrieve-synchronously
> > "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raxod502/straight.el/develop/install.el"
> > 'silent 'inhibit-cookies)
> > (goto-char (point-max))
> > (eval-print-last-sexp)))
> > (load bootstrap-file nil 'nomessage))
> > (straight-use-package 'use-package)
> > (setq straight-use-package-by-default t)
> >
> > (use-package company
> > :demand t
> > :hook
> > (after-init . global-company-mode))
> > ```
> > But the `proxychains-ng-socks5` wrapper script relies on the normal HOME
> > variable setting. How to solve this dilemma?
> Well, you /could/ derive your version of HOME differently. Yes, let's go
> with that.
>
> Initially, HOME is derived from the 6th field in the user's
> /etc/passwd entry. You could
> - use whoami(1) to determine the username
> - use grep(1) and cut(1) (alternately, just awk(1) )to parse /etc/passwd
> and extract the home directory of the selected username
> - use that extracted home directory value to set your HOME variable

Do you mean this one?

$ grep ^"$(whoami)" /etc/passwd |cut -d ':' -f6
/home/werner

HZ

On 10/26/21 6:47 AM, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
> But the `proxychains-ng-socks5` wrapper script relies on the normal
> HOME variable setting. How to solve this dilemma?

Please elaborate on what the abnormal HOME variable contents are?

Are you artificially changing the HOME variable's contents at the start
of the script? It looks like it's commented out to me. (But I don't
speak LISP.)

I'm failing to fathom a case where the contents of HOME would not be normal.

--
Grant. . . .
unix || die

On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:14:02 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:

> On Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 9:55:32 PM UTC+8, Lew Pitcher wrote:
>> On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:47:48 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>> > I've written the following Emacs package debug script which can be
>> > run by `$ bash /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el`:
>> >
>> > ```emacs-lisp
>> > #!/usr/bin/env bash
>> > :;# $ realpath init.el
>> > :;# /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el
>> > :; HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(realpath -e $0))) proxychains-ng-socks5
>> > /usr/local/bin/emacs -- "$@"; exit
>> >
>> > ;;Bootstrap straight
>> > (defvar bootstrap-version)
>> > (let ((bootstrap-file
>> > (expand-file-name "straight/repos/straight.el/bootstrap.el"
>> > user-emacs-directory))
>> > (bootstrap-version 5))
>> > (unless (file-exists-p bootstrap-file)
>> > (with-current-buffer
>> > (url-retrieve-synchronously
>> > "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raxod502/straight.el/develop/install.el"
>> > 'silent 'inhibit-cookies)
>> > (goto-char (point-max))
>> > (eval-print-last-sexp)))
>> > (load bootstrap-file nil 'nomessage))
>> > (straight-use-package 'use-package)
>> > (setq straight-use-package-by-default t)
>> >
>> > (use-package company
>> > :demand t
>> > :hook
>> > (after-init . global-company-mode))
>> > ```
>> > But the `proxychains-ng-socks5` wrapper script relies on the normal HOME
>> > variable setting. How to solve this dilemma?
>> Well, you /could/ derive your version of HOME differently. Yes, let's go
>> with that.
>>
>> Initially, HOME is derived from the 6th field in the user's
>> /etc/passwd entry. You could
>> - use whoami(1) to determine the username
>> - use grep(1) and cut(1) (alternately, just awk(1) )to parse /etc/passwd
>> and extract the home directory of the selected username
>> - use that extracted home directory value to set your HOME variable
>
> Do you mean this one?
>
> $ grep ^"$(whoami)" /etc/passwd |cut -d ':' -f6
> /home/werner

Sure. Or
$ awk -F : -v user=$(whoami) '$1 == user {print $6;}' /etc/passwd
/home/lpitcher

--
Lew Pitcher
"In Skills, We Trust"

In article <sl9ckq$nc9$1@dont-email.me>,
Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> wrote:
>On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:14:02 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
>
>> On Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 9:55:32 PM UTC+8, Lew Pitcher wrote:
>>> On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:47:48 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
>>>
>>> > I've written the following Emacs package debug script which can be
>>> > run by `$ bash /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el`:
>>> >
>>> > ```emacs-lisp
>>> > #!/usr/bin/env bash
>>> > :;# $ realpath init.el
>>> > :;# /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el
>>> > :; HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(realpath -e $0))) proxychains-ng-socks5
>>> > /usr/local/bin/emacs -- "$@"; exit
>>> >
>>> > ;;Bootstrap straight
>>> > (defvar bootstrap-version)
>>> > (let ((bootstrap-file
>>> > (expand-file-name "straight/repos/straight.el/bootstrap.el"
>>> > user-emacs-directory))
>>> > (bootstrap-version 5))
>>> > (unless (file-exists-p bootstrap-file)
>>> > (with-current-buffer
>>> > (url-retrieve-synchronously
>>> > "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raxod502/straight.el/develop/install.el"
>>> > 'silent 'inhibit-cookies)
>>> > (goto-char (point-max))
>>> > (eval-print-last-sexp)))
>>> > (load bootstrap-file nil 'nomessage))
>>> > (straight-use-package 'use-package)
>>> > (setq straight-use-package-by-default t)
>>> >
>>> > (use-package company
>>> > :demand t
>>> > :hook
>>> > (after-init . global-company-mode))
>>> > ```
>>> > But the `proxychains-ng-socks5` wrapper script relies on the normal HOME
>>> > variable setting. How to solve this dilemma?
>>> Well, you /could/ derive your version of HOME differently. Yes, let's go
>>> with that.
>>>
>>> Initially, HOME is derived from the 6th field in the user's
>>> /etc/passwd entry. You could
>>> - use whoami(1) to determine the username
>>> - use grep(1) and cut(1) (alternately, just awk(1) )to parse /etc/passwd
>>> and extract the home directory of the selected username
>>> - use that extracted home directory value to set your HOME variable
>>
>> Do you mean this one?
>>
>> $ grep ^"$(whoami)" /etc/passwd |cut -d ':' -f6
>> /home/werner
>
>Sure. Or
> $ awk -F : -v user=$(whoami) '$1 == user {print $6;}' /etc/passwd
> /home/lpitcher

Or just:

$ echo ~
and
$ echo ~lpitcher

--
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough
men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

George Orwell

In comp.unix.shell, Kenny McCormack <gazelle@shell.xmission.com> wrote:
> Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> wrote:
[ HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(realpath -e $0))) proxychains-ng-socks5 ]
>> $ awk -F : -v user=$(whoami) '$1 == user {print $6;}' /etc/passwd
>> /home/lpitcher
> Or just:
>
> $ echo ~

I've just got to really wonder what's going on here. If I have set
HOME differently than the one in /etc/passwd, I probably have a good
reason for that and will not like having it reset.

I frequently use /var/tmp/$(whoami) as an alternative $HOME for testing
things, in particular testing how stuff works without all my dot files.
Or for say, testing how dot file installation from a home-config git
repo works.

I use other directories, too, but rarely. It's a handy way to have
multiple simultaneous news readers working with different .newsrc files,
for example.

Elijah
------
HOME=/var/tmp/elijah PS1=': subshell; ' $SHELL

Some software uses /etc/passwd instead of the HOME variable.
It's a bug.

Possibly you can inspect 'proxychains-ng-socks5' if it's an script and
fix the bug yourself.

That bug was very common in the past. Fortunately nowadays most
software has fixed it. Ivan Shmakov commented about that in
comp.emacs a pair of years ago:

Ivan Shmakov <ivan@siamics.net> on comp.emacs
Message-ID: <8736wyx2p2.fsf_-_@violet.siamics.net>

Unfortunately, some software refers to passwd(5) data directly
instead, leaving no way for the user to override the home
directory location. In particular, this was the behavior (IIRC)
of programs based on older Glib versions. And I vaguely recall
that Emacs might have been affected as well.

On Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 7:26:34 AM UTC+8, Javier wrote:
> Some software uses /etc/passwd instead of the HOME variable.
> It's a bug.
>
> Possibly you can inspect 'proxychains-ng-socks5' if it's an script and
> fix the bug yourself.
>
> That bug was very common in the past. Fortunately nowadays most
> software has fixed it. Ivan Shmakov commented about that in
> comp.emacs a pair of years ago:
>
> Ivan Shmakov <iv...@siamics.net> on comp.emacs
> Message-ID: <8736wyx2...@violet.siamics.net>
>
> Unfortunately, some software refers to passwd(5) data directly
> instead, leaving no way for the user to override the home
> directory location. In particular, this was the behavior (IIRC)
> of programs based on older Glib versions. And I vaguely recall
> that Emacs might have been affected as well.

Thank you for much for your explanation. This is just the case of my dilemma.

On Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 2:37:57 AM UTC+8, Kenny McCormack wrote:
> In article <sl9ckq$nc9$1...@dont-email.me>,
> Lew Pitcher <lew.p...@digitalfreehold.ca> wrote:
> >On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:14:02 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
> >
> >> On Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 9:55:32 PM UTC+8, Lew Pitcher wrote:
> >>> On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:47:48 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
> >>>
> >>> > I've written the following Emacs package debug script which can be
> >>> > run by `$ bash /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el`:
> >>> >
> >>> > ```emacs-lisp
> >>> > #!/usr/bin/env bash
> >>> > :;# $ realpath init.el
> >>> > :;# /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el
> >>> > :; HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(realpath -e $0))) proxychains-ng-socks5
> >>> > /usr/local/bin/emacs -- "$@"; exit
> >>> >
> >>> > ;;Bootstrap straight
> >>> > (defvar bootstrap-version)
> >>> > (let ((bootstrap-file
> >>> > (expand-file-name "straight/repos/straight.el/bootstrap.el"
> >>> > user-emacs-directory))
> >>> > (bootstrap-version 5))
> >>> > (unless (file-exists-p bootstrap-file)
> >>> > (with-current-buffer
> >>> > (url-retrieve-synchronously
> >>> > "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raxod502/straight.el/develop/install.el"
> >>> > 'silent 'inhibit-cookies)
> >>> > (goto-char (point-max))
> >>> > (eval-print-last-sexp)))
> >>> > (load bootstrap-file nil 'nomessage))
> >>> > (straight-use-package 'use-package)
> >>> > (setq straight-use-package-by-default t)
> >>> >
> >>> > (use-package company
> >>> > :demand t
> >>> > :hook
> >>> > (after-init . global-company-mode))
> >>> > ```
> >>> > But the `proxychains-ng-socks5` wrapper script relies on the normal HOME
> >>> > variable setting. How to solve this dilemma?
> >>> Well, you /could/ derive your version of HOME differently. Yes, let's go
> >>> with that.
> >>>
> >>> Initially, HOME is derived from the 6th field in the user's
> >>> /etc/passwd entry. You could
> >>> - use whoami(1) to determine the username
> >>> - use grep(1) and cut(1) (alternately, just awk(1) )to parse /etc/passwd
> >>> and extract the home directory of the selected username
> >>> - use that extracted home directory value to set your HOME variable
> >>
> >> Do you mean this one?
> >>
> >> $ grep ^"$(whoami)" /etc/passwd |cut -d ':' -f6
> >> /home/werner
> >
> >Sure. Or
> > $ awk -F : -v user=$(whoami) '$1 == user {print $6;}' /etc/passwd
> > /home/lpitcher
> Or just:
>
> $ echo ~
> and
> $ echo ~lpitcher

This doesn't work for the Emacs case. If the HOME has been changed from within the session where Emacs is started, it won't use the new HOME as ~.
> --
> People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough
> men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.
>
> George Orwell

On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:37:52 +0000, Kenny McCormack wrote:

> In article <sl9ckq$nc9$1@dont-email.me>,
> Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> wrote:
>>On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:14:02 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
>>
>>> On Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 9:55:32 PM UTC+8, Lew Pitcher wrote:
>>>> On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:47:48 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > I've written the following Emacs package debug script which can be
>>>> > run by `$ bash /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el`:
>>>> >
>>>> > ```emacs-lisp
>>>> > #!/usr/bin/env bash
>>>> > :;# $ realpath init.el
>>>> > :;# /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el
>>>> > :; HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(realpath -e $0))) proxychains-ng-socks5
>>>> > /usr/local/bin/emacs -- "$@"; exit
>>>> >
>>>> > ;;Bootstrap straight
>>>> > (defvar bootstrap-version)
>>>> > (let ((bootstrap-file
>>>> > (expand-file-name "straight/repos/straight.el/bootstrap.el"
>>>> > user-emacs-directory))
>>>> > (bootstrap-version 5))
>>>> > (unless (file-exists-p bootstrap-file)
>>>> > (with-current-buffer
>>>> > (url-retrieve-synchronously
>>>> > "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raxod502/straight.el/develop/install.el"
>>>> > 'silent 'inhibit-cookies)
>>>> > (goto-char (point-max))
>>>> > (eval-print-last-sexp)))
>>>> > (load bootstrap-file nil 'nomessage))
>>>> > (straight-use-package 'use-package)
>>>> > (setq straight-use-package-by-default t)
>>>> >
>>>> > (use-package company
>>>> > :demand t
>>>> > :hook
>>>> > (after-init . global-company-mode))
>>>> > ```
>>>> > But the `proxychains-ng-socks5` wrapper script relies on the normal HOME
>>>> > variable setting. How to solve this dilemma?
>>>> Well, you /could/ derive your version of HOME differently. Yes, let's go
>>>> with that.
>>>>
>>>> Initially, HOME is derived from the 6th field in the user's
>>>> /etc/passwd entry. You could
>>>> - use whoami(1) to determine the username
>>>> - use grep(1) and cut(1) (alternately, just awk(1) )to parse /etc/passwd
>>>> and extract the home directory of the selected username
>>>> - use that extracted home directory value to set your HOME variable
>>>
>>> Do you mean this one?
>>>
>>> $ grep ^"$(whoami)" /etc/passwd |cut -d ':' -f6
>>> /home/werner
>>
>>Sure. Or
>> $ awk -F : -v user=$(whoami) '$1 == user {print $6;}' /etc/passwd
>> /home/lpitcher
>
> Or just:
>
> $ echo ~
> and
> $ echo ~lpitcher

If $HOME is not reliably set, then ~ is unlikely to be either.
Witness:

10:27 $ echo $HOME
/home/lpitcher
10:27 $ echo ~
/home/lpitcher

Both $HOME and ~ point at my home directory

But now, I change $HOME to point somewhere else
10:27 $ HOME=/var/some/directory
10:28 $ echo $HOME
/var/some/directory

And, lo and behold, ~ changes as well
10:28 $ echo ~
/var/some/directory

So, if the OP can't depend on $HOME to point to the proper
directory (hence, his asking how to derive the home directory)
then he can't depend on ~ either.

HTH
--
Lew Pitcher
"In Skills, We Trust"

On Wed, 27 Oct 2021 14:31:45 +0000, Lew Pitcher wrote:

> On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 18:37:52 +0000, Kenny McCormack wrote:
>
>> In article <sl9ckq$nc9$1@dont-email.me>,
>> Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> wrote:
>>>On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 08:14:02 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
>>>
>>>> On Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 9:55:32 PM UTC+8, Lew Pitcher wrote:
>>>>> On Tue, 26 Oct 2021 05:47:48 -0700, hongy...@gmail.com wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> > I've written the following Emacs package debug script which can be
>>>>> > run by `$ bash /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el`:
>>>>> >
>>>>> > ```emacs-lisp
>>>>> > #!/usr/bin/env bash
>>>>> > :;# $ realpath init.el
>>>>> > :;# /home/werner/.emacs.d/debug/.emacs.d/init.el
>>>>> > :; HOME=$(dirname $(dirname $(realpath -e $0))) proxychains-ng-socks5
>>>>> > /usr/local/bin/emacs -- "$@"; exit
>>>>> >
>>>>> > ;;Bootstrap straight
>>>>> > (defvar bootstrap-version)
>>>>> > (let ((bootstrap-file
>>>>> > (expand-file-name "straight/repos/straight.el/bootstrap.el"
>>>>> > user-emacs-directory))
>>>>> > (bootstrap-version 5))
>>>>> > (unless (file-exists-p bootstrap-file)
>>>>> > (with-current-buffer
>>>>> > (url-retrieve-synchronously
>>>>> > "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/raxod502/straight.el/develop/install.el"
>>>>> > 'silent 'inhibit-cookies)
>>>>> > (goto-char (point-max))
>>>>> > (eval-print-last-sexp)))
>>>>> > (load bootstrap-file nil 'nomessage))
>>>>> > (straight-use-package 'use-package)
>>>>> > (setq straight-use-package-by-default t)
>>>>> >
>>>>> > (use-package company
>>>>> > :demand t
>>>>> > :hook
>>>>> > (after-init . global-company-mode))
>>>>> > ```
>>>>> > But the `proxychains-ng-socks5` wrapper script relies on the normal HOME
>>>>> > variable setting. How to solve this dilemma?
>>>>> Well, you /could/ derive your version of HOME differently. Yes, let's go
>>>>> with that.
>>>>>
>>>>> Initially, HOME is derived from the 6th field in the user's
>>>>> /etc/passwd entry. You could
>>>>> - use whoami(1) to determine the username
>>>>> - use grep(1) and cut(1) (alternately, just awk(1) )to parse /etc/passwd
>>>>> and extract the home directory of the selected username
>>>>> - use that extracted home directory value to set your HOME variable
>>>>
>>>> Do you mean this one?
>>>>
>>>> $ grep ^"$(whoami)" /etc/passwd |cut -d ':' -f6
>>>> /home/werner
>>>
>>>Sure. Or
>>> $ awk -F : -v user=$(whoami) '$1 == user {print $6;}' /etc/passwd
>>> /home/lpitcher
>>
>> Or just:
>>
>> $ echo ~
>> and
>> $ echo ~lpitcher
>
> If $HOME is not reliably set, then ~ is unlikely to be either.
> Witness:
>
> 10:27 $ echo $HOME
> /home/lpitcher
> 10:27 $ echo ~
> /home/lpitcher
>
> Both $HOME and ~ point at my home directory
>
> But now, I change $HOME to point somewhere else
> 10:27 $ HOME=/var/some/directory
> 10:28 $ echo $HOME
> /var/some/directory
>
> And, lo and behold, ~ changes as well
> 10:28 $ echo ~
> /var/some/directory
>
> So, if the OP can't depend on $HOME to point to the proper
> directory (hence, his asking how to derive the home directory)
> then he can't depend on ~ either.
>
> HTH

FWIW, from bash(1):
Shell Variables
The following variables are set by the shell:
...
HOME The home directory of the current user; the default argument for
the cd builtin command. The value of this variable is also used
when performing tilde expansion.

--
Lew Pitcher
"In Skills, We Trust"

Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> writes:
> On Wed, 27 Oct 2021 14:31:45 +0000, Lew Pitcher wrote:
[...]
>> If $HOME is not reliably set, then ~ is unlikely to be either.
>> Witness:
>>
>> 10:27 $ echo $HOME
>> /home/lpitcher
>> 10:27 $ echo ~
>> /home/lpitcher
>>
>> Both $HOME and ~ point at my home directory
>>
>> But now, I change $HOME to point somewhere else
>> 10:27 $ HOME=/var/some/directory
>> 10:28 $ echo $HOME
>> /var/some/directory
>>
>> And, lo and behold, ~ changes as well
>> 10:28 $ echo ~
>> /var/some/directory
>>
>> So, if the OP can't depend on $HOME to point to the proper
>> directory (hence, his asking how to derive the home directory)
>> then he can't depend on ~ either.
>>
>> HTH
>
> FWIW, from bash(1):
> Shell Variables
> The following variables are set by the shell:
> ...
> HOME The home directory of the current user; the default argument for
> the cd builtin command. The value of this variable is also used
> when performing tilde expansion.

On the other hand, ~username, as opposed to just ~, does not depend on
$HOME. It does a lookup in /etc/passwd or whatever the system's
equivalent is.

$ echo $HOME ~ ~kst
/home/kst /home/kst /home/kst
$ HOME=/tmp
$ echo $HOME ~ ~kst
/tmp /tmp /home/kst
$ eval echo ~$USER
/home/kst
$ eval echo ~$(whoami)
/home/kst
$

--
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com
Working, but not speaking, for Philips
void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */

On Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:19:22 -0700, Keith Thompson wrote:

> Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> writes:
>> On Wed, 27 Oct 2021 14:31:45 +0000, Lew Pitcher wrote:
> [...]
>>> If $HOME is not reliably set, then ~ is unlikely to be either.
>>> Witness:
>>>
>>> 10:27 $ echo $HOME
>>> /home/lpitcher
>>> 10:27 $ echo ~
>>> /home/lpitcher
>>>
>>> Both $HOME and ~ point at my home directory
>>>
>>> But now, I change $HOME to point somewhere else
>>> 10:27 $ HOME=/var/some/directory
>>> 10:28 $ echo $HOME
>>> /var/some/directory
>>>
>>> And, lo and behold, ~ changes as well
>>> 10:28 $ echo ~
>>> /var/some/directory
>>>
>>> So, if the OP can't depend on $HOME to point to the proper
>>> directory (hence, his asking how to derive the home directory)
>>> then he can't depend on ~ either.
>>>
>>> HTH
>>
>> FWIW, from bash(1):
>> Shell Variables
>> The following variables are set by the shell:
>> ...
>> HOME The home directory of the current user; the default argument for
>> the cd builtin command. The value of this variable is also used
>> when performing tilde expansion.
>
> On the other hand, ~username, as opposed to just ~, does not depend on
> $HOME. It does a lookup in /etc/passwd or whatever the system's
> equivalent is.
>
> $ echo $HOME ~ ~kst
> /home/kst /home/kst /home/kst
> $ HOME=/tmp
> $ echo $HOME ~ ~kst
> /tmp /tmp /home/kst
> $ eval echo ~$USER
> /home/kst
> $ eval echo ~$(whoami)
> /home/kst
> $

Thanks, Keith

I'm glad to have learned something new today.

--
Lew Pitcher
"In Skills, We Trust"

On Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 2:10:52 AM UTC+8, Lew Pitcher wrote:
> On Wed, 27 Oct 2021 10:19:22 -0700, Keith Thompson wrote:
>
> > Lew Pitcher <lew.p...@digitalfreehold.ca> writes:
> >> On Wed, 27 Oct 2021 14:31:45 +0000, Lew Pitcher wrote:
> > [...]
> >>> If $HOME is not reliably set, then ~ is unlikely to be either.
> >>> Witness:
> >>>
> >>> 10:27 $ echo $HOME
> >>> /home/lpitcher
> >>> 10:27 $ echo ~
> >>> /home/lpitcher
> >>>
> >>> Both $HOME and ~ point at my home directory
> >>>
> >>> But now, I change $HOME to point somewhere else
> >>> 10:27 $ HOME=/var/some/directory
> >>> 10:28 $ echo $HOME
> >>> /var/some/directory
> >>>
> >>> And, lo and behold, ~ changes as well
> >>> 10:28 $ echo ~
> >>> /var/some/directory
> >>>
> >>> So, if the OP can't depend on $HOME to point to the proper
> >>> directory (hence, his asking how to derive the home directory)
> >>> then he can't depend on ~ either.
> >>>
> >>> HTH
> >>
> >> FWIW, from bash(1):
> >> Shell Variables
> >> The following variables are set by the shell:
> >> ...
> >> HOME The home directory of the current user; the default argument for
> >> the cd builtin command. The value of this variable is also used
> >> when performing tilde expansion.
> >
> > On the other hand, ~username, as opposed to just ~, does not depend on
> > $HOME. It does a lookup in /etc/passwd or whatever the system's
> > equivalent is.
> >
> > $ echo $HOME ~ ~kst
> > /home/kst /home/kst /home/kst
> > $ HOME=/tmp
> > $ echo $HOME ~ ~kst
> > /tmp /tmp /home/kst
> > $ eval echo ~$USER
> > /home/kst
> > $ eval echo ~$(whoami)
> > /home/kst
> > $
> Thanks, Keith
>
> I'm glad to have learned something new today.

Me too; so am I; So do I.

On Thursday, October 28, 2021 at 1:19:27 AM UTC+8, Keith Thompson wrote:
> Lew Pitcher <lew.p...@digitalfreehold.ca> writes:
> > On Wed, 27 Oct 2021 14:31:45 +0000, Lew Pitcher wrote:
> [...]
> >> If $HOME is not reliably set, then ~ is unlikely to be either.
> >> Witness:
> >>
> >> 10:27 $ echo $HOME
> >> /home/lpitcher
> >> 10:27 $ echo ~
> >> /home/lpitcher
> >>
> >> Both $HOME and ~ point at my home directory
> >>
> >> But now, I change $HOME to point somewhere else
> >> 10:27 $ HOME=/var/some/directory
> >> 10:28 $ echo $HOME
> >> /var/some/directory
> >>
> >> And, lo and behold, ~ changes as well
> >> 10:28 $ echo ~
> >> /var/some/directory
> >>
> >> So, if the OP can't depend on $HOME to point to the proper
> >> directory (hence, his asking how to derive the home directory)
> >> then he can't depend on ~ either.
> >>
> >> HTH
> >
> > FWIW, from bash(1):
> > Shell Variables
> > The following variables are set by the shell:
> > ...
> > HOME The home directory of the current user; the default argument for
> > the cd builtin command. The value of this variable is also used
> > when performing tilde expansion.
> On the other hand, ~username, as opposed to just ~, does not depend on
> $HOME. It does a lookup in /etc/passwd or whatever the system's
> equivalent is.
>
> $ echo $HOME ~ ~kst
> /home/kst /home/kst /home/kst
> $ HOME=/tmp
> $ echo $HOME ~ ~kst
> /tmp /tmp /home/kst
> $ eval echo ~$USER
> /home/kst

> $ eval echo ~$(whoami)
> /home/kst
> $

Some supplement

werner@X10DAi-00:~$ echo $(eval echo ~$USER)
/home/werner
werner@X10DAi-00:~$ echo $(eval echo ~$USERNAME)
/home/werner
werner@X10DAi-00:~$ echo $(eval echo ~$(whoami))
/home/werner