# Configuring environment variable support for connections

Environment variables are set for the remote job process when you first connect to a remote system. This means that the results of setting the variables are shown in the Remote Shell view. If the system type you are using is case sensitive (UNIX for example), then the environment variables will also be case sensitive. Spaces and equals signs (=) are only allowed in the value for the environment variable, not in its name.

You can define environment variables for all Remote System Explorer connection types that support them (Windows, Linux, UNIX, and other system types that are installed).

If you change an environment variable while the Remote System Explorer is connected to a remote server, the change does not take affect until you disconnect and reconnect.

Although environment variables are set in subsystem properties pages, the Remote System Explorer stores them globally by connection.

If you need to specify different environment variables or user IDs for a particular remote system, you can do so by defining multiple connections to that remote system and then defining the environment variables on the file subsystem for each connection.

To configure environment variables:

1. Create a connection to a server if necessary.
2. Expand your connection name in the Remote Systems view.
3. Right-click on a file subsystem and select Properties.
4. Click Environment Variables and configure the variables as needed.
   - To add an environment variable, click Add. Enter a name and value for this variable, and clickOK.
   - To change an environment variable, select the variable in the table and modify the name or value directly. To use a dialog box, select the variable and click Change. The name and value of the current variable are pre-filled in the dialog box. Overwrite whichever field you want to change and click OK.
   - To remove a variable, click the variable to select it and click Remove.
   - To move a variable up in the list, click the variable to select it and click Move up.
   - To move a variable down in the list, click the variable to select it and click Move down.