support dot in env variable names [e.g. POSTGRESQL.BASE.USER]

[flamewow]

Supporting dots in environment variable names, like

POSTGRESQL.BASE.USER=postgres
POSTGRESQL.MAIN.USER=${POSTGRESQL.BASE.USER}

[flamewow]

@motdotla hey, wondering if we can get that PR through

[tommelo]

@motdotla hey, wondering if we can get that PR through

I just ran into a situation where we got variables containing . and - as well.
Appreciate if this PR could be merged, I can submit another PR to add support to variables containing -.

[motdotla]

for sanity we are not going to support this. the dotenv lib does not nor do other popular dotenv implementations like python's.

https://dotenvx.com/docs/env-file#variable-names

why not just replace the . with a _. do you not have control over the variable name? you certainly do inside your .env file. do you not when going to production?

[flamewow]

@motdotla
In a big project, a change like that (going from "." to "_") is going to require a cascade of updates.
And it a pain in the ass to get those name changed.

btw, dotenv lib loads such env variables no propblem

[motdotla]

btw, dotenv lib loads such env variables no propblem

you're right. what was i thinking. it can be accessed via process.env['POSTGRESQL.BASE.USER']

let me dig deeper into what other implementations are supporting.

also, can someone give some more color on why you are naming your variables this way.

[motdotla]

i think i'm wrong here and @flamewow and others are correct. following the principle of least surprise, this should just work. merging.

[flamewow]

btw, dotenv lib loads such env variables no propblem

you're right. what was i thinking. it can be accessed via process.env['POSTGRESQL.BASE.USER']

let me dig deeper into what other implementations are supporting.

also, can someone give some more color on why you are naming your variables this way.

Legacy code, otherwise I'd changed them to a format that works.