#1024 Silently setting environment variables

[klo]

Hi,

after installing vapor-2.3.0-win64 on Windows 8.1, I later noticed this environment variable changes:

IDL_DLM_PATH=C:\Program Files\NCAR\VAPOR\bin
Path=C:\Program Files\NCAR\VAPOR\bin;%PATH%
PYTHONHOME=C:\Program Files\NCAR\VAPOR\lib\python2.7
VAPOR_HOME=C:\Program Files\NCAR\VAPOR\
VAPOR_SHARE=C:\Program Files\NCAR\VAPOR\share

I wasn't informed by installation package about these changes, while I would expect at least confirmation for changing PATH variable and setting PYTHONPATH.

1. Injecting in PATH string as first member, without confirmation is simply rude and bad practice of overriding other PATH members. Then why it needs changing PATH at all, not mentioning after introducing so many other variables...

2. Now every other program ships with bundled Python distribution. What would happen if everyone just sets and depends on PYTHONHOME to their wish? None will work except later and more importantly my system Python and programs that depend on it will stop working for no apparent reason!

3. Some variables are left after uninstalling.

[Alan Norton]

With changes checked in on 10/7/14: The PYTHONHOME variable is ignored by vaporgui. Instead users must set VAPOR_PYTHONHOME to change where vapor python is located.
The windows installer still needs to be modified to indicate the change to PATH.

[Alan Norton]

PYTHONHOME is still required to be set to import numpy (as of 11/7/14). Using _putenv() does not have the desired effect.

[Alan Norton]

Reassigning to scott since he is working on this.

[Alan Norton]

With the latest 2.4.0 installer, neither the Path nor PYTHONHOME are set in the environment. The un-setting is working OK too.