Index: /issm/trunk/src/m/utils/Shell/issmtier.m
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk/src/m/utils/Shell/issmtier.m	(revision 6087)
+++ /issm/trunk/src/m/utils/Shell/issmtier.m	(revision 6087)
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+function ISSM_TIER=issmtier()
+%ISSMDIR - Get ISSM_TIER environment variable contents.
+%
+%   Usage:
+%      ISSM_TIER=issmtier()
+
+[status,ISSM_TIER]=system('echo $ISSM_TIER');
+if status~=0,
+	error('issmtier error message: problem when running ''echo $ISSM_TIER'' shell command');
+end
+
+if (isempty(ISSM_TIER)) | (length(ISSM_TIER)==1),
+	error('issmtier error message: ''ISSM_TIER'' environment variable is empty! You should define ISSM_TIER in your .cshrc or .bashrc!');
+end
+
+%get rid of return carriage
+ISSM_TIER=strtrim(ISSM_TIER);