geode-docs/tools_modules/gfsh/useful_gfsh_shell_variables.html.md.erb

---
title:  Useful gfsh Shell Variables
---

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You can use the built-in `gfsh` shell variables in scripts.

You can also use the `set variable` command to modify shell behavior or to define your own variables.

To see a list of all gfsh shell variables and their current values, use the following command:

``` pre
gfsh>echo --string=$*
```

To obtain the current value of an existing variable, use the following command syntax (the variable must be enclosed in braces):

``` pre
gfsh>echo --string=${VARIABLE}
```

For example:

``` pre
gfsh>echo --string=${SYS_CLASSPATH}
```

**System Variables**

|                          |                                                                                                    |
|--------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| SYS\_CLASSPATH           | CLASSPATH of the gfsh JVM (read only).                                                             |
| SYS\_GEMFIRE\_DIR        | Product directory where <%=vars.product_name%> has been installed (read only). |
| SYS\_HOST\_NAME          | Host from which gfsh is started (read only).                                                       |
| SYS\_JAVA\_VERSION       | Java version used (read only).                                                                     |
| SYS\_OS                  | OS name (read only).                                                                               |
| SYS\_OS\_LINE\_SEPARATOR | Line separator (\\ or ^) variable that you can use when writing gfsh scripts. (read only).         |
| SYS\_USER                | User name (read only).                                                                             |
| SYS\_USER\_HOME          | User's home directory (read only).                                                                 |

**GFSH Environment Variables**

|                                    |                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| APP\_FETCH\_SIZE                   | Fetch size to be used while querying. Values: 0 - 2147483647. Default value is 100.  |
| APP\_LAST\_EXIT\_STATUS            | Last command exit status. Similar to $? (Unix) and %errorlevel% (Windows). Values: 0 (successful), 1 (error), 2(crash) (read only).                                  |
| APP\_LOGGING\_ENABLED              | Whether gfsh logging is enabled. Default: false (read only). You can enable gfsh logging by setting the `gfsh.log-level` Java system property to a [supported Java log level](http://docs.oracle.com/javase/8/docs/api/java/util/logging/Level.html).|
| APP\_LOG\_FILE                     | Path and name of current gfsh log file (read only).                                  |
| APP\_NAME                          | Name of the application-- "gfsh" (read only).                                        |
| APP\_PWD                           | Current working directory where gfsh was launched (read only).                       |
| APP\_QUERY\_RESULTS\_DISPLAY\_MODE | Toggle the display mode for returning query results. Values: table or catalog. Default value is table.                                                               |
| APP\_QUIET\_EXECUTION              | Whether the execution should be in quiet mode. Values (case insensitive): true, false. Default value is false.                                                       |
| APP\_RESULT\_VIEWER                | Unix only. Set this variable to `external` to enable viewing of the output using the UNIX `less` command. Default value is basic (gfsh).                             |