diff --git a/common/CMakeLists.txt b/common/CMakeLists.txt
index eccf7302f5..0f1722b6bd 100644
--- a/common/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/common/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -271,6 +271,7 @@ set( COMMON_SRCS
eda_pattern_match.cpp
eda_size_ctrl.cpp
env_paths.cpp
+ env_vars.cpp
exceptions.cpp
executable_names.cpp
filename_resolver.cpp
diff --git a/common/dialogs/dialog_configure_paths.cpp b/common/dialogs/dialog_configure_paths.cpp
index 5266a47a08..eb641a2f75 100644
--- a/common/dialogs/dialog_configure_paths.cpp
+++ b/common/dialogs/dialog_configure_paths.cpp
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
#include <validators.h>
#include <html_messagebox.h>
#include <filename_resolver.h>
+#include <env_vars.h>
#include <widgets/wx_grid.h>
#include <widgets/grid_text_button_helpers.h>
@@ -549,29 +550,21 @@ void DIALOG_CONFIGURE_PATHS::OnHelp( wxCommandEvent& event )
"level. Environment variables defined at the system or user level "
"take precedence over the ones defined in this table. This means the "
"values in this table are ignored." );
- msg << wxT( "<br><br><b>" );
+ msg << "<br><br><b>";
msg << _( "To ensure environment variable names are valid on all platforms, the name field "
"will only accept upper case letters, digits, and the underscore characters." );
- msg << wxT( "</b><br><br>" );
- msg << _( "<b>KICAD_SYMBOL_DIR</b> is the base path of the locally installed symbol libraries." );
- msg << wxT( "<br><br>" );
- msg << _( "<b>KIGITHUB</b> is used by KiCad to define the URL of the repository "
- "of the official KiCad footprint libraries." );
- msg << wxT( "<br><br>" );
- msg << _( "<b>KISYS3DMOD</b> is the base path of system footprint 3D "
- "shapes (.3Dshapes folders)." );
- msg << wxT( "<br><br>" );
- msg << _( "<b>KISYSMOD</b> is the base path of locally installed system "
- "footprint libraries (.pretty folders)." );
- msg << wxT( "<br><br>" );
- msg << _( "<b>KIPRJMOD</b> is internally defined by KiCad (cannot be edited) and is set "
- "to the absolute path of the currently loaded project file. This environment "
- "variable can be used to define files and paths relative to the currently loaded "
- "project. For instance, ${KIPRJMOD}/libs/footprints.pretty can be defined as a "
- "folder containing a project specific footprint library named footprints.pretty." );
- msg << wxT( "<br><br>" );
- msg << _( "<b>KICAD_PTEMPLATES</b> is optional and can be defined if you want to "
- "create your own project templates folder." );
+ msg << "</b>";
+
+ for( const auto& var: GetPredefinedEnvVars() )
+ {
+ msg << "<br><br><b>" << var << "</b>";
+
+ const auto desc = LookUpEnvVarHelp( var );
+
+ if( desc.size() > 0 )
+ msg << ": " << desc;
+
+ }
HTML_MESSAGE_BOX dlg( GetParent(), _( "Environment Variable Help" ) );
dlg.SetDialogSizeInDU( 400, 250 );
@@ -579,30 +572,3 @@ void DIALOG_CONFIGURE_PATHS::OnHelp( wxCommandEvent& event )
dlg.AddHTML_Text( msg );
dlg.ShowModal();
}
-
-
-bool DIALOG_CONFIGURE_PATHS::IsEnvVarImmutable( const wxString aEnvVar )
-{
- /*
- * TODO - Instead of defining these values here,
- * extract them from elsewhere in the program
- * (where they are originally defined)
- */
-
- static const wxString immutable[] = {
- "KIGITHUB",
- "KISYS3DMOD",
- "KISYSMOD",
- "KIPRJMOD",
- "KICAD_PTEMPLATES",
- "KICAD_SYMBOL_DIR"
- };
-
- for( const auto& ii : immutable )
- {
- if( aEnvVar.Cmp( ii ) == 0 )
- return true;
- }
-
- return false;
-}
diff --git a/common/env_vars.cpp b/common/env_vars.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ee51087eda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/common/env_vars.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+/*
+ * This program source code file is part of KiCad, a free EDA CAD application.
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2018 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+ * Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your
+ * option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <env_vars.h>
+
+#include <map>
+
+#include <common.h>
+
+using STRING_MAP = std::map<wxString, wxString>;
+
+/*
+ * List of pre-defined environment variables
+ *
+ * TODO - Instead of defining these values here,
+ * extract them from elsewhere in the program
+ * (where they are originally defined)
+ */
+static const ENV_VAR_LIST predefined_env_vars = {
+ "KIPRJMOD",
+ "KICAD_SYMBOL_DIR",
+ "KISYS3DMOD",
+ "KISYSMOD",
+ "KIGITHUB",
+ "KICAD_TEMPLATE_DIR",
+ "KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR",
+ "KICAD_PTEMPLATES",
+};
+
+
+bool IsEnvVarImmutable( const wxString& aEnvVar )
+{
+ for( const auto& s: predefined_env_vars )
+ {
+ if( s == aEnvVar )
+ return true;
+ }
+
+ return false;
+}
+
+
+const ENV_VAR_LIST& GetPredefinedEnvVars()
+{
+ return predefined_env_vars;
+}
+
+
+void initialiseEnvVarHelp( STRING_MAP& aMap )
+{
+ // Set up dynamically, as we want to be able to use _() translations,
+ // which can't be done statically
+ aMap["KISYSMOD"] =
+ _( "The base path of locally installed system "
+ "footprint libraries (.pretty folders).");
+ aMap["KISYS3DMOD"] =
+ _( "The base path of system footprint 3D shapes (.3Dshapes folders).");
+ aMap["KICAD_SYMBOL_DIR"] =
+ _( "The base path of the locally installed symbol libraries.");
+ aMap["KIGITHUB"] =
+ _( "Used by KiCad to define the URL of the repository "
+ "of the official KiCad footprint libraries.");
+ aMap["KICAD_TEMPLATE_DIR"] =
+ _( "A directory containing project templates installed with KiCad.");
+ aMap["KICAD_USER_TEMPLATE_DIR"] =
+ _( "Optional. Can be defined if you want to create your own project "
+ "templates folder.");
+ aMap["KIPRJMOD"] =
+ _("Internally defined by KiCad (cannot be edited) and is set "
+ "to the absolute path of the currently loaded project file. This environment "
+ "variable can be used to define files and paths relative to the currently loaded "
+ "project. For instance, ${KIPRJMOD}/libs/footprints.pretty can be defined as a "
+ "folder containing a project specific footprint library named footprints.pretty." );
+
+ // Deprecated vars
+ aMap["KICAD_PTEMPLATES"] =
+ _( "Deprecated version of KICAD_TEMPLATE_DIR.");
+}
+
+
+wxString LookUpEnvVarHelp( const wxString& aEnvVar )
+{
+ static STRING_MAP env_var_help_text;
+
+ if( env_var_help_text.size() == 0 )
+ initialiseEnvVarHelp( env_var_help_text );
+
+ return env_var_help_text[aEnvVar];
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/include/dialog_configure_paths.h b/include/dialog_configure_paths.h
index 311cf5da11..1d0a0153fc 100644
--- a/include/dialog_configure_paths.h
+++ b/include/dialog_configure_paths.h
@@ -62,11 +62,6 @@ protected:
void AppendEnvVar( const wxString& aName, const wxString& aPath, bool isExternal );
void AppendSearchPath( const wxString& aName, const wxString& aPath, const wxString& aDesc );
- /**
- * Determine if a particular ENV_VAR is protected
- */
- bool IsEnvVarImmutable( const wxString aEnvVar );
-
private:
wxString m_errorMsg;
wxGrid* m_errorGrid;
diff --git a/include/env_vars.h b/include/env_vars.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cec25c2e04
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/env_vars.h
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+/*
+ * This program source code file is part of KiCad, a free EDA CAD application.
+ *
+ * Copyright (C) 2018 KiCad Developers, see AUTHORS.txt for contributors.
+ *
+ * This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the
+ * Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your
+ * option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but
+ * WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
+ * General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with this program. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * @file env_vars.h
+ * Functions to provide helpful hints about what environment vars do
+ */
+
+#ifndef ENV_VARS_H
+#define ENV_VARS_H
+
+#include <wx/string.h>
+#include <vector>
+
+using ENV_VAR_LIST = std::vector<wxString>;
+
+/**
+ * Determine if an environment variable is "predefined", i.e. if the
+ * name of the variable is special to KiCad, and isn't just a user-specified
+ * substitution name.
+ * @param aEnvVar the variable to check
+ * @return true if predefined
+ */
+bool IsEnvVarImmutable( const wxString& aEnvVar );
+
+/**
+ * Get the list of pre-defined environment variables.
+ */
+const ENV_VAR_LIST& GetPredefinedEnvVars();
+
+/**
+ * Look up long-form help text for a given environment variable.
+ *
+ * This is intended for use in more verbose help resources (as opposed to
+ * tooltip text)
+ *
+ * @param aEnvVar The variable to look up
+ * @return A string with help for that variable. Empty if
+ * no help available for this variable.
+ */
+wxString LookUpEnvVarHelp( const wxString& aEnvVar );
+
+#endif /* ENV_VARS_H */