Why is Environment-conditional configuration only read on Kanata startup?

[thomastthai]

Am I understanding the use of the command environment correctly, i.e., that it only applies when Kanata starts up?

Environment-conditional configuration

If the value of the environment variable (set only on kanata startup)

If so, why not allow the use of environment any other time to customize Kanata to applications that may launch after Kanata starts that may set their environment variables?

[jtroo]

The environment variables of running processes generally cannot change at runtime.

If you want to run a cmd and change new process' environment, you're still free to do that. Example:

(cmd bash -c "MYENVVAR=var; /path/to/executable myargs")

[thomastthai]

Thanks for answering. Perhaps my question was probably was confusing or I'm confused. Let me illustrate with an example.

1. Start Kanata. Kanata's environment command doesn't see APP1_ENV_VAR set.
2. Start App1. It sets APP1_ENV_VAR.
3. Is Kanata's alias able to read APP1_ENV_VAR using environment command at this point? I thought Kanata only reads environment variables at start-up.

[jtroo]

In general AppX cannot set the environment variable of AppY, other than when Y is initially started by X, which is not the case described. They must coordinate some other way.

[thomastthai]

I think we are talking about two different things. I'll play around and figure it out. Thanks.