Environment variable in PHP-docker container

php docker environment-variables openshift openshift-origin

17,139

Solution 1

Change

print "env is: ".$_ENV["USER"]."\n";

print "env is: ".getenv("USER")."\n";

test.php

<html>
 <head>
  <title>Show Use of environment variables</title>
 </head>
 <body>
  <?php
  print "env via \$_ENV is: ".$_ENV["USER"]."\n";
  print "env via getenv is: ".getenv("USER")."\n";
  ?>
 </body>
</html>

# export USER=Sascha
# echo $USER
Sascha

php test.php

    <html>
     <head>
      <title>Show Use of environment variables</title>
     </head>
     <body>
      PHP Notice:  Array to string conversion in /test.php on line 7
    PHP Notice:  Undefined index: USER in /test.php on line 7
    env via $_ENV is: 
    env via getenv is: Sascha
     </body>
    </html>

Solution 2

I did the following to solve this issue:

Use this command that writes the environment variables to a file called .env in your project folder.
```
CMD ["env >> /path/to/project/.env"]
```
Install dotenv package that loads the env variables from a file to $_ENV
```
composer require vlucas/phpdotenv
```

Load the package and use it as

require 'vendor/autoload.php'
$dotenv = new Dotenv\Dotenv(__DIR__);
$dotenv->load();
getenv('VAR_NAME');

Hope it helps.

17,139

Author by

lova

Updated on July 20, 2022

Comments

lova almost 2 years
I want to show an env var in my docker container. The PHP script looks like this:
```
<html>
 <head>
  <title>Show Use of environment variables</title>
 </head>
 <body>
  <?php
  print "env is: ".$_ENV["USER"]."\n";
  ?>
 </body>
</html>
```
I use OpenShift to start the container. The PHP - container shows:
```
env is: 
```
Now I change the dc config of my container:
```
oc env dc/envar USER=Pieter
deploymentconfig "envar" updated
```
When I access the container. The env var of USER is Pieter
```
docker exec -it 44a0f446ae36 bash
bash-4.2$ echo $USER
Pieter
```
But my script remains showing: "env is:" It does not fill in the variable.
lsd about 5 years

Worked for me. That was the answer I was looking for!
Nico Haase over 3 years

Please explain that further - which "different quotes" do you mean? $_ENV["USER"] and $_ENV['USER'] should perform the exact same result. If not, please open a bug report
emir over 3 years

He used print "env is: ".$_ENV["USER"]."\n". Index should be in single quotes not in double quotes. I tested it on my computer and it works.
Nico Haase over 3 years

What makes you think that there is any difference between using single or double quotes? Are you sure that your code does not work when using double quotes? Then please file a bug report
Deele over 2 years

Use $_SERVER['VAR_NAME'] instead of getenv() or $_ENV when accessing environmental variables, to be thread-safe and follow good practice.
d70rr3s about 2 years

The comment from @Deele should be the right answer, depending on how those variables are set can appear either on getenv or $_ENV and you can get ending will NULL or FALSE since the variable may not be set. But using $_SERVER will work always