Allow shell style environment variable access for paths.

[HannahFantasia]

Is there an existing issue for this?

• I have searched the existing issues.

Please describe the feature you have in mind and explain what the current shortcomings are?

Currently I would like to add this path within my executables inside ayon+settings://applications/applications/blender/variants/3/executables/linux/0:
/home/$USER/opt/blender_launcher/custom/Blender_Sandbox/blender

The AYON launcher does not seem to support that.
It naturally does support this:
/home/hannah/opt/blender_launcher/custom/Blender_Sandbox/blender

How would you imagine the implementation of the feature?

I would like to be able to use environment variables in OSes that have folders on user-level to ensure the path towards the directory of the executable can be developed based per individual.

I was considering f strings but that is too risky, tokens were given as an advice instead by my mentor:

/home/{$USER}/opt/blender_launcher/custom/Blender_Sandbox/blender

That would mean the instructions given are in the back-end. Leaving it still as easy for adaptation in the current situation.

Are there any labels you wish to add?

• I have added the relevant labels to the enhancement request.

Describe alternatives you've considered:

No response

Additional context:

No response

[MustafaJafar]

@iLLiCiTiT
Should this issue be transferred to ayon-core since it has ayon_core.lib.find_executable which doesn't support template keys, e.g. {username} or environment variables e.g. USERNAME?

[iLLiCiTiT]

This is for ayon-applications.

[BigRoy]

It would just mean adding a os.path.expandvars somewhere, right?
And os.path.expanduser if we also want to support the starting ~ (tilde) to indicate the user's home path.

If anyone can point to where it roughly should be I'm sure @HannahFantasia can implement and test her use cases and PR back.

[iLLiCiTiT]

You can use /home/{USER}/opt/blender_launcher/custom/Blender_Sandbox/blender (no dollar sign).

[BigRoy]

You can use /home/{USER}/opt/blender_launcher/custom/Blender_Sandbox/blender (no dollar sign).

Technically the user path is not required to be in /home - right? So ~ expansion may still be nice?
Also, ~ expansion also works on windows at the same time - it's directly cross platform (and may for example for some not live on C:\ drive)