The environment script file contains environment variables required to run Softimage. Environment variables tell Softimage where important files are located and also let you customize your environment. On Windows systems, this file is called setenv.bat; on Linux, it is called .xsi_2013.
The environment script file is located in %SI_HOME%\Application\bin on Windows, and $SI_HOME or your home directory on Linux. You can set environment variables by editing this file in the User Tools dialog box.
To edit your environment script, you can either cut and paste examples of the environment variables or you can type the contents directly in the file.
Here are some basic instructions for the setenv.bat or .xsi_2013 file:
echo off disables echoing during the environment script execution.
It is important to declare SI_HOME at the beginning of the environment script because it is referenced in the environment variables that follow throughout the script.
XSI_USERROOT is used by Softimage to define (source) the user's home directory path.
This must be a unique location for each specific user. Softimage creates a /Softimage/[Version of Softimage] folder in this directory for storing custom scripts, toolbars, preferences, presets, and other personal Softimage files in various subfolders.
The SPM_HOST variable specifies the computer name or IP address of the computer that is running the SPM daemon.
SPM_HOST is also needed to start distributed rendering. This environment variable is set locally in the ray3.sh script in the mental ray rendering software bin directory (Linux) on each slave machine and in setenv.bat file (Windows).
See the Environment Variable Reference for information on the different types of environment variables used by Softimage and detailed descriptions of each variable that can be set in the environment script.