sails.js Is it possible to set process.env variables from application? - sails.js

Question

I am trying to use npm module fb to use facebook api. The config file is located in the module and here is the snapshot of the same
var config = { };
// should end in /
config.rootUrl = process.env.ROOT_URL || 'http://localhost:3000/';
config.facebook = {
appId: process.env.FACEBOOK_APPID || '130243393813697',
appSecret: process.env.FACEBOOK_APPSECRET || 'c82696768ae4ad8b63db874cb64eb558',
appNamespace: process.env.FACEBOOK_APPNAMESPACE || 'nodescrumptious',
redirectUri: process.env.FACEBOOK_REDIRECTURI || config.rootUrl + 'login/callback'
};
module.exports = config;
I don't wish to change the config file of the module since node_modules folder is kept in the gitignore list. For configuring the module to use my app's appId and appSecret, I need to set the process.env variables FACEBOOK_APPID and FACEBOOK_APPSECRET
I understand that it can be done while calling the sails lift but is it by any means possible to set these values inside the app so that I only have to call
sails lift
without any of those variables and those should be set automatically ? Or what is the best way to achieve what I am trying to do here ?

Answer 1

You should set the environment-variables outside of your App.
Instead of sails lift you could also use node app.js. With that you can define environment-variables for your node-application with:
$> FOO='bar' node app.js
In your case:
$> FACEBOOK_APPID='232322a22' FACEBOOK_APPSECRET='mysecrete' node app.js
If you want to set this vars in your app (I wouldn't suggest that!) you could set them before including your npm-module. For example in your config/bootstrap.js:
module.exports.bootstrap = function(cb) {
process.env.FACEBOOK_APPID = "myvar";
process.env.FACEBOOK_APPSECRET = "mysecrete";
sails.facebook = require("yourmodule");
cb();
};

Answer 2

Here is a good link for setting environment variables when "Production", "Staging" and "Development" in Sails feels fragmented.
Here is a quick video tutorial which simply explains how to create environment variables in node.js
Step1:
Install the package dotenv as dependency
$ npm install dotenv --save
Step2:
Then require dotenv in app.js and load the .env file
var dotenv = require('dotenv');
dotenv.load();
Step3:
Create a .env file in the root folder (ie. at the same document level as app.js file)
Step4:
Add your environment variables
S3_KEY=enfiownqefniqofewqofnieqwvewlk
S3_SECRET=123456789
Now you can access those environment variables anywhere in the app (probably in some config/ files):
return {
key: process.env.S3_KEY,
secret: process.env.S3_SECRET,
region: 's3-eu-west-1',
bucket: 'myBucket',
s3params: {
ACL: 'public-read'
}
}
Credit goes to Noah Bass for providing this tutorial.