can't export from shell scripts

["Chris Evans" <C.Evans@sghms.ac.uk>]

I think I've got something very odd going on.  I can export variables 
successfully from the prompt but not from shell scripts.  I.e. typing 
   $    export silly=test
shows silly=test in the environment but putting
         export silly=test2
in a shell script and executing it doesn't get any change into the 
environment.  If I put 
         echo $silly 
in the shell script it shows up fine echoing test2 nicely but the 
environment still doesn't change.

Using declare -x to declare silly makes no difference.  Whether the 
variable is already declared in the environment or not makes no 
difference.  If I put export -p  in the shell script, the listing shows 
silly as test2 as well as other variables already set prior to the 
script but rerunning env afterward shows silly back to test (or 
nothing if I've export -n to kill it off first!)

Putting #!/bin/bash as first line of the script makes no difference.  
(By the way, am I right in thinking this isn't necessary, that the 
chmod to executable gets it executable script status and the first 
line would only invoke a new shell process to execute the script?)

This is running Hamm, bash shell under X through xdm, new install 
of all that on twin 586 box with SMP=1

As far as I can see, this is causing all sorts of downstream 
problems like StarOffice failing with a segmentation fault 
complaining its environment isn't setup correctly (damn right it isn't!)

I'm baffled.  What am I missing?  What am I doing wrong?!



Chris



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