PROCESS_PATH is not a path, more like a call name

[bew]

Related problem

Reading the release notes about this new variable, I'm confused by the naming ..._PATH even though the value is not a path that can be used from anywhere.

When I have the path of something I expect to be able to:

1. manipulate like a path, e.g. navigate through its parent dirs
2. call it from anywhere

At the moment we have none of these with values like demo.nu or ./demo.nu

Describe the solution you'd like

Have PROCESS_PATH be the actual path to the process, so calling the release note example would give:

demo.nu
./demo.nu
/path/to/demo.nu
# all 3 examples show as "I was called as /path/to/demo.nu"

Have PROCESS_CALL_NAME with the current behavior of PROCESS_PATH

Describe alternatives you've considered

Compute the actual path based on how the current value looks like, but it's still be confusing

Additional context and details

No response

[amtoine]

it was added in #11203 and yeah, sounds a bit confusing that it's not a path 🤔

i think the two directions you propose are good

• rename it to something like $env.CALL_NAME or $env.PROCESS_CALL_NAME
• make $env.PROCESS_PATH be a real absolute path to the script that is being called

@p00f, could you have a look into one of these? 😇
i feel like the latter would be more useful even if it's not 100% what argv[0] means usually, but sounds a bit more Nushell-y to me 😋

[p00f]

rename it to something like $env.CALL_NAME or $env.PROCESS_CALL_NAME

sure

make $env.PROCESS_PATH be a real absolute path to the script that is being called

No

1. this already exists as $env.CURRENT_FILE
2. i added this because i did need "100% what argv[0] means usually" 😄

[p00f]

BTW anyone can do this - you only have to grep for PROCESS_PATH, there's only one occurrence

[amtoine]

@bew
renaming it to $env.PROCESS_CALL_NAME and keeping the same behaviour sounds better then 😋

[bew]

1. this already exists as $env.CURRENT_FILE

Hmm, if it's always a path what about renaming it to $env.CURRENT_FILE_PATH 🤔

(I left my dev laptop home for a few days/week, won't be able to make a PR anytime soon, I could do it from my phone though 👀)

[p00f]

Hmm, if it's always a path what about renaming it to $env.CURRENT_FILE_PATH 🤔

this one's been there for a while, let's not change it

i'll change PROCESS_PATH once everyone agrees

[amtoine]

@p00f
i think renaming $env.PROCESS_PATH to something like $env.PROCESS_CALL_NAME would be nice 👌

[fdncred]

What's a process call name? That's more confusing. You guys are just making stuff up again. 😆

We discussed here #11203 (comment) already. $env.IT_SHOULD_BE_NAMED_ARGV0

It could indeed be a path like this one. So, saying it's not a path is incorrect. It depends on how it's called.

/tmp/workspaces/0PMKZ: ./foo
I was called as ./foo

[p00f]

Fully agree @fdncred

[p00f]

I think this can be closed - $env.CURRENT_FILE is the "actual" path