Index: /issm/trunk/src/m/utils/Shell/issmdir.m
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk/src/m/utils/Shell/issmdir.m	(revision 6611)
+++ /issm/trunk/src/m/utils/Shell/issmdir.m	(revision 6612)
@@ -5,13 +5,7 @@
 %      ISSM_DIR=issmdir()
 
-[status,ISSM_DIR]=system('echo $ISSM_DIR');
-if status~=0,
-	error('issmdir error message: problem when running ''echo $ISSM_DIR'' shell command');
-end
+ISSM_DIR =getenv('ISSM_DIR');
 
-if (isempty(ISSM_DIR)) | (length(ISSM_DIR)==1),
+if (isempty(ISSM_DIR)),
 	error('issmdir error message: ''ISSM_DIR'' environment variable is empty! You should define ISSM_DIR in your .cshrc or .bashrc!');
 end
-
-%get rid of return carriage
-ISSM_DIR=strtrim(ISSM_DIR);
Index: /issm/trunk/src/m/utils/Shell/issmtier.m
===================================================================
--- /issm/trunk/src/m/utils/Shell/issmtier.m	(revision 6611)
+++ /issm/trunk/src/m/utils/Shell/issmtier.m	(revision 6612)
@@ -1,17 +1,11 @@
 function ISSM_TIER=issmtier()
-%ISSMDIR - Get ISSM_TIER environment variable contents.
+%ISSMTIER - 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');
+ISSM_TIER =getenv('ISSM_TIER');
+
+if (isempty(ISSM_TIER)),
+	error('issmdir error message: ''ISSM_TIER'' environment variable is empty! You should define ISSM_TIER in your .cshrc or .bashrc!');
 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);