1.6. Enabling a Software Collection

The scl tool is used to enable a Software Collection and to run applications in the Software Collection environment.
General usage of the scl tool can be described using the following syntax: 
 scl action software_collection_1 software_collection_2 command
If you are running a command with multiple arguments, remember to enclose the command and its arguments in quotes: 
 scl action software_collection_1 software_collection_2 'command --argument'
Alternatively, use a -- command separator to run a command with multiple arguments: 
 scl action software_collection_1 software_collection_2 -- command --argument

Remember that:

  • When you run the scl tool, it creates a child process (subshell) of the current shell. Running the command again then creates a subshell of the subshell.
  • You can list enabled Software Collections for the current subshell. See Section 1.7, “Listing Enabled Software Collections” for more information.
  • You have to disable an enabled Software Collection first to be able to enable it again. To disable the Software Collection, exit the subshell created when enabling the Software Collections.
  • When using the scl tool to enable a Software Collection, you can only perform one action with the enabled Software Collection at a time. The enabled Software Collection must be disabled first before performing another action.

1.6.1. Running an Application Directly

For example, to directly run Perl with the --version option in the Software Collection named software_collection_1, execute the following command: 
 scl enable software_collection_1 'perl --version'
Alternatively, you can provide a syspaths subpackage that makes it more convenient to run commands in the Software Collection environment. For more information on syspaths subpackages, see Section 3.3, “Providing syspaths Subpackages”.

1.6.2. Running a Shell with Multiple Software Collections Enabled

To run the Bash shell in the environment with multiple Software Collections enabled, execute the following command: 
 scl enable software_collection_1 software_collection_2 bash
The command above enables two Software Collections, named software_collection_1 and software_collection_2.

1.6.3. Running Commands Stored in a File

To execute a number of commands, which are stored in a file, in the Software Collection environment, run the following command: 
 cat cmd | scl enable software_collection_1 -
The command above executes commands, which are stored in the cmd file, in the environment of the Software Collection named software_collection_1.