---
title: Variable substitution using manage-profile
description: You can use the manage-profile tool to substitute different variables in server profiles.
component: pingauthorize
version: 11.0
page_id: pingauthorize:pingauthorize_server_administration_guide:paz_variable_subst
canonical_url: https://docs.pingidentity.com/pingauthorize/11.0/pingauthorize_server_administration_guide/paz_variable_subst.html
revdate: July 29, 2022
---

# Variable substitution using manage-profile

You can use the `manage-profile` tool to substitute different variables in server profiles.

The `manage-profile` tool uses the format `${VARIABLE}` to support the substitution of variables in profiles. To escape this format, use another `$`. For example, after substitution, `$${VARIABLE}` becomes `${VARIABLE}`.

Variable values can be read from a profile variables file or from environment variable values. If both options are used, the values in the file overwrite any environment variables.

The following lines provide an example of how you can set user-defined variables by using a variables file in the server profile.

```
HOSTNAME=testserver.example.com
PORT=389
```

The following table describes built-in variables that you can also reference in the server profile. Use these variables in the format previously described.

| Built-in variable   | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| ------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| `PING_SERVER_ROOT`  | Evaluates to the absolute path of the server's root directory                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| `PING_PROFILE_ROOT` | Evaluates to the individual profile's root directory\[NOTE] ==== Use `PING_PROFILE_ROOT` only with files that are not needed after initial setup, such as password files in `setup-arguments.txt`. Do not use the `PING_PROFILE_ROOT` variable for files needed while the server is running. The `manage-profile` tool creates a temporary copy of the server profile that is deleted after the tool completes, so files are not accessible under `PING_PROFILE_ROOT` when the server is running. For files you need while the server is running, such as keystore and truststore files, copy the files into the server root using the profile's `server-root/pre-setup` directory, and then refer to the files using with the `PING_SERVER_ROOT` variable. ==== |

For more information about the tool's usage, run the command `bin/manage-profile --help`.