Manage Settings Using Environmental Variables

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Manage Settings Using Environmental Variables

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In software configuration, environmental variables play a crucial role in managing settings. Rocket.Chat leverages environmental variables to provide a flexible and efficient way to manage settings. This guide will provide a comprehensive overview of how Rocket.Chat manages settings using environmental variables

When starting your server, you can set any settings value via an environment variable. You will only have to know the setting ID and the data type of the setting (boolean, string, integer, etc.).

Basic settings

Name	Data Type
`_id`	`SettingId` = string
`type`	boolean timezone string relativeUrl password int select multiSelect language color font code action asset roomPick group date
`public`	boolean
`env`	boolean
`group` (Optional)	`GroupId` = `SettingId`
`section` (Optional)	`SectionName` = string
`tab` (Optional)	`TabId` = `SettingId`
`i18nLabel`	string
`value`	`SettingValue` can be one of the following types: string boolean number SettingValueMultiSelect Date AssetValue undefined
`packageValue`	`SettingValue` can be one of the following types: string boolean number SettingValueMultiSelect Date AssetValue undefined
`blocked`	boolean
`enableQuery` (Optional)	string
`displayQuery` (Optional)	string
`sorter`	number
`properties` (Optional)	unknown
`enterprise` (Optional)	boolean
`requiredOnWizard` (Optional)	boolean
`hidden` (Optional)	boolean
`modules` (Optional)	Array
`invalidValue` (Optional)	`SettingValue` can be one of the following values: string boolean number SettingValueMultiSelect Date AssetValue undefined
`valueSource` (Optional)	string
`secret` (Optional)	boolean
`i18nDescription` (Optional)	string
`autocomplete` (Optional)	boolean
`processEnvValue` (Optional)	`SettingValue` can be one of the following values: string boolean number SettingValueMultiSelect Date AssetValue undefined
`meteorSettingsValue` (Optional)	`SettingValue` can be one of the following values: string boolean number SettingValueMultiSelect Date AssetValue undefined
`ts`	Date
`createdAt`	Date
`_updatedAt` (Optional)	Date
`multiline` (Optional)	boolean
`values` (Optional)	Array
`placeholder` (Optional)	string
`wizard` (Optional)	`step`: number `order`: number
`persistent` (Optional)	boolean
`readonly` (Optional)	boolean
`alert` (Optional)	string
`private` (Optional)	boolean

Group settings

Name	Data Type
`_id`	string
`hidden`	boolean
`blocked`	boolean
`ts`	Date
`sorter`	number
`i18nLabel`	string
`displayQuery`	string
`i18nDescription`	string
`value`	undefined
`type`	group
`alert`	string

Enterprise settings

Name	Data Type
`enterprise`	true
`invalidValue`	`SettingValue` can be one of the following values: string boolean number SettingValueMultiSelect Date AssetValue undefined

Name

Data Type

enterprise

true

invalidValue

SettingValue can be one of the following values:

string
boolean
number
SettingValueMultiSelect
Date
AssetValue
undefined

Color settings

Name	Data Type
`type`	color
`editor`	SettingEditor
`packageEditor` (Optional)	SettingEditor

Action settings

Name	Data Type
`type`	action
`value`	string
`actionText` (Optional)	string

Code settings

Name	Data Type
`type`	action
`value`	string
`actionText` (Optional)	string

Asset settings

Name	Data Type
`type`	asset
`value`	AssetValue
`fileConstraints`	IRocketChatAssetConstraint
`asset`	string

SelectOption settings

Name	Data Type
`key`	The type can be: string number
`i18nLabel`	string

Name

Data Type

key

The type can be:

string
number

i18nLabel

string

Editor settings

Name	Data Type
`COLOR`	color
`EXPRESSION`	expression

Date settings

Name	Data Type
`type`	Date
`value`	Date

Statistics settings

Name	Data Type
`account2fa` (Optional)	boolean
`cannedResponsesEnabled` (Optional)	boolean
`e2e` (Optional)	boolean
`e2eDefaultDirectRoom` (Optional)	boolean
`e2eDefaultPrivateRoom` (Optional)	boolean
`smtpHost` (Optional)	string
`smtpPort` (Optional)	string
`fromEmail` (Optional)	string
`fileUploadEnable` (Optional)	boolean
`frameworkDevMode` (Optional)	boolean
`frameworkEnable` (Optional)	boolean
`surveyEnabled` (Optional)	boolean
`updateChecker` (Optional)	boolean
`liveStream` (Optional)	boolean
`broadcasting` (Optional)	boolean
`allowEditing` (Optional)	boolean
`allowDeleting` (Optional)	boolean
`allowUnrecognizedSlashCommand` (Optional)	boolean
`allowBadWordsFilter` (Optional)	boolean
`readReceiptEnabled` (Optional)	boolean
`readReceiptStoreUsers` (Optional)	boolean
`otrEnable` (Optional)	boolean
`pushEnable` (Optional)	boolean
`globalSearchEnabled` (Optional)	boolean
`threadsEnabled` (Optional)	boolean
`bigBlueButton` (Optional)	boolean
`jitsiEnabled` (Optional)	boolean
`webRTCEnableChannel` (Optional)	boolean
`webRTCEnablePrivate` (Optional)	boolean
`webRTCEnableDirect` (Optional)	boolean

Settings actions

You can take the following actions while configuring your workspace settings:

Set the setting values for the first time.
Overwrite setting values.
Block settings from being changed.
Hide settings.
Set any wizard setting as mandatory.

Let's look at these options in detail.

Set setting

To set a setting for the first time, you need only to add the environment variable SETTING_ID=VALUE when starting the server.

For example:

FileUpload_Storage_Type=hiGoogleCloudStorage

This only works if the setting isn't already set; hence it's most useful for setting on the initial start. If the setting already has a value, you will need to use overwrite setting.

Overwrite setting

You can overwrite any setting by setting an environment variable prefixed with OVERWRITE_SETTING_<Setting Id>.

For example:

OVERWRITE_SETTING_FileUpload_Storage_Type=GoogleCloudStorage

Settings capable of this can be seen when hovered in the Administration > Workspace > Settings section.

Manage Settings Using Environmental Variables.avif

Block settings

You can block a setting from being changed by specifying the SETTINGS_BLOCKED environment variable. It is a comma-separated list. You need to add any setting you want to block to this list.

For example:

SETTINGS_BLOCKED=FileUpload_Storage_Type,FileUpload_GoogleStorage_AccessId,FileUpload_GoogleStorage_Secret

As an administrator, you can't change this from the UI. You must remove it from the list and reboot the server to change this setting.

Hide settings

You can hide settings from the client by using the SETTINGS_HIDDEN environment variable.

For example:

SETTINGS_HIDDEN=FileUpload_GoogleStorage_AccessId,FileUpload_GoogleStorage_Secret

Take extra caution here because the client needs settings like FileUpload_Storage_Type, so it can not be hidden.

Required wizard settings

You can force settings to be required on wizard pages by using the SETTINGS_REQUIRED_ON_WIZARD environment variable.

For example:

SETTINGS_REQUIRED_ON_WIZARD=Organization_Type,Organization_Name

Rocket.Chat's use of environmental variables for managing your workspace settings provides a powerful and flexible configuration mechanism.

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On this page

Basic settings
Group settings
Enterprise settings
Color settings
Action settings
Code settings
Asset settings
SelectOption settings
Editor settings
Date settings
Statistics settings
Settings actions