# How do I use environment variables when running as service? **URL:** \ **Category:** Logstash\ **Created:** [January 12, 2017, 2:45pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-do-i-use-environment-variables-when-running-as-service/71392 "2017-01-12T14:45:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![astickler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@astickler](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/astickler)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 2:45pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-do-i-use-environment-variables-when-running-as-service/71392/1 "2017-01-12T14:45:37Z")
I am using Logstash v5.1.0 on Ubuntu 16.04 and my logstash conf file includes an environment variable reference to set the output graphite server, but I cannot get it to work when running as a service. My config file contains (missing a few lines for clarity): graphite { host =\> "${GRAPHITE\_SERVER}" } and my /etc/environment file contains: GRAPHITE\_SERVER=54.40.235.208 Yet with configuration file logging, I see: fetched an invalid config {} reason=\>"Cannot evaluate `${GRAPHITE_SERVER}`. Environment variable `GRAPHITE_SERVER` is not set and there is no default value given." This does work if I run logstash from bash manually. Any help would be much appreciated - thanks. Andrew ---
**Author:** ![jakommo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jakommo/32/6716_2.png) [@jakommo](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jakommo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2017, 4:00pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-do-i-use-environment-variables-when-running-as-service/71392/2 "2017-01-12T16:00:20Z")
Hi @astickler, I haven't tried it on 16.04 but on 14.04 it works when exporting it in `/etc/default/logstash`. E.g. `export GRAPHITE_SERVER=54.40.235.208`. I know, it sounds strange to prefix with `export` in that file, see [https://github.com/elastic/logstash/issues/6414](https://github.com/elastic/logstash/issues/6414) for discussion. 14.04 uses upstart while 16.04 is using systemd, so they are probably souring the file in different ways, but it's worth a try. ---
**Author:** ![astickler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@astickler](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/astickler)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 11:17am UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-do-i-use-environment-variables-when-running-as-service/71392/3 "2017-01-13T11:17:14Z")
Hi Jakob - I had already tried that, but it also doesn't work. Andrew ---
**Author:** ![jakommo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jakommo/32/6716_2.png) [@jakommo](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jakommo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 3:37pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-do-i-use-environment-variables-when-running-as-service/71392/4 "2017-01-13T15:37:13Z")
I just tried this on a 16.04 VM and adding it to `/etc/default/logstash` with the `export` prefixed resulted in: ``` systemd[1]: logstash.service: Ignoring invalid environment assignment 'export LS_FPATH=/tmp/': /etc/default/logstash ``` However, just using `LS_FPATH="/tmp/"` worked for me. ``` # cat /etc/default/logstash LS_FPATH="/tmp/" # echo 123 | ncat localhost 5011 # cat /tmp/lsout.log {"@timestamp":"2017-01-13T15:34:23.971Z","port":43886,"@version":"1","host":"127.0.0.1","message":"123"} # cat /etc/logstash/conf.d/ls.conf # input { tcp { port => 5011} } output { file { path => "${LS_FPATH}/lsout.log" } } ``` I tested with Logstash 5.1.2, mind giving that a try and using my simple config, for testing? ---
**Author:** ![astickler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/53a042/32.png) [@astickler](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/astickler)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-do-i-use-environment-variables-when-running-as-service/71392/5 "2017-01-13T16:59:43Z")
Jakob - this is good news, your test worked with my currently installed 5.1.1 version, _and_ when I tried the same with my config. I know I tried this before and it didn't work, but I have realised I may have been confused by old errors in the logstash\_plain log because my service is taking nearly 2 minutes to start (I am on an AWS instance, and although I have improved the entropy, it appears it's not yet good enough). Anyway - all working now - thanks for your help. Andrew ---
**Author:** ![jakommo](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/user_avatar/discuss.elastic.co/jakommo/32/6716_2.png) [@jakommo](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/jakommo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2017, 5:14pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-do-i-use-environment-variables-when-running-as-service/71392/6 "2017-01-13T17:14:57Z")
Glad to hear it's working now. About the entropy issue, see this [GH issue](https://github.com/elastic/logstash/issues/6117#issuecomment-270915288), you might want to give `haveged` a try. Worked good for me to resolve this. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/elastic/original/3X/1/a/1ac57faf039f6b580b3f104ef42a2a89e41014de.png) [@system](https://discuss.elastic.co/u/system)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2017, 5:15pm UTC](https://discuss.elastic.co/t/how-do-i-use-environment-variables-when-running-as-service/71392/7 "2017-02-10T17:15:11Z")
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