how to load .bashrc environment variables in python 2.7 IDLE at startup

Question

I would like to have the environment variables i defined in my .bashrc to be loaded in python 2.7 IDLE on starting it from the ubuntu launcher.

These environment variables are loaded correctly when i start IDLE from the command line.

One solution http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=253555&p=1484153#post1484153 modifies the /usr/bin/idle-python2.7 to include an environment variable at idle startup.

I am not sure how to do this for all environment variables without having to parse the .bashrc file in python.

Specifically, i want to export a variable in my .bashrc

export FOO="BAR"

and i wish to open idle-python2.7 from the ubuntu launcher and type:

>>> import os
>>> print os.environ['FOO']
BAR

Software Details:

OS: Ubuntu 12.04 64 bit
python version: 2.7

Please let me know if you require additional information from my part.

Answer 1

Two ideas from the manual .

Change the ubuntu launcher to run idle.py -s and set an environment variable IDLESTARTUP pointing to a file containing python commands to set your env.
Create an .Idle.py in ~/ file that does the same thing (but triggered by Tkinter )

Neither of those will execute .bashrc so another idea

Create a custom ubuntu launcher that sources your .bashrc and then fires up IDLE

and my favourite

Just use ipython or regular python from the shell, IDLE isn't that great :)