DOCUMENT ID:  1039-02

SYNOPSIS:     How to determine local hostname while logged into remote host

OS RELEASE:   

PRODUCT:      Solaris

KEYWORDS:     local hostname log remote host X11 openwindows who


DESCRIPTION:

The local host name is useful when using X11 or openwindows applications
requiring the local display.  The environmental variable "DISPLAY" is
set using a script file. 


SOLUTION:

The "who" command, in various forms, displays useful data including the
host of origin (local host).  A typical who display might be:

 joe   pts/22   jun 31 20:15 (remote)

By employing a series of piped commands the local host name may be
derived.  The series of commands may possibly be improved, however this
method is functional.  Once the local host name is determined it may be
utilized in expressions to set the "DISPLAY" environmental variable. 
The most likely place to set the variable is .profile or .login during
shell startup.  This method is intended for use with first generation
remote hosts, i.e., one host connection rather than local_host->to
remote->to remote.  The script may be used without regard to whether a
remote login is in progress.  "Who" will return five fields on a local
login and six fields on remote login. 

 # !/bin/sh
 #
 xtty=`tty | cut -c6-15`
 h2=`who | grep $xtty | tr -d '()'`
 xc=`echo $h2 | wc -w`
 if [ $xc = 6 ]; then
 echo $h2 | awk '{ print $6 }'
 else
 hostname
 fi


DATE APPROVED: 09/12/95