Using exec() to set Environment Vars in OSX

Question

Hi everybody
I have some problems using the exec() command. Want I want to do is to start the tomcat Server out of my programm. Due to this reason I need to set two environment Variables and execute a shell script.
Standardshell in OS X is Tcsh. So I first tried to set the variables with setenv. It works great if I type it directly in the shell, if I do it over the exec() command there is an IO exception that command dont exists.
command = new String [] { "setenv" , "CATALINA_HOME='/users/piersrom/application/jakarta-tomcat-4.0.1'" };
process = runtime.exec(command);
After that I tried it with a shell call (also worked fine directly typed in to the shell):
command = new String [] { "/bin/sh" , "-c" , "export CATALINA_HOME=/users/piersrom/application/jakarta-tomcat-4.0.1" };
process = runtime.exec(command);
This code didnt worked too. There is no exception but the variables are not set.
The only thing that work out of the programm is to startup the server. But only after I set the variables manually before directly in the shell.
command = new String [] { "sh" , "/users/piersrom/applications/jakarta-tomcat-4.0.1/bin/startup.sh" };
process = runtime.exec(command);
So I am a little bit confused about the exec() command, I cant see the mistake. Maybe its a problem with the Policy? If yes what type of RuntimePermission has to be set?
Well I hope somebody see the problem...
Thx Roman

Answer 1

Thanks a lot for your help. Well I dont understand the difference between a shell and a OS command.
This would mean that for example finger is a OS command because this works without problems. How do I know which commands are shell and which OS specific?
I already wrote my own shell script and stored it in a file, made it executable and started it with exec(). It works great, only I was interested in solve everything with the exec() command (this seems more elegant to me....).
Thx Roman