CVS does not recognize that CVSROOT is set in .bashrc and .bash_profile

Question

I'm trying to set up cvs on my account on a school computer (Profs recommend we use it). But, I have already had it installed on this account before, but for some reason it is not working. So I'm trying to go through the setup process again and figure out whats wrong. Here's a quick snippit of the instructions they gave:

a. edit .bashrc and .bash_profile to add this line:
    export CVSROOT=$HOME/CVS
b. issue these commands to create the master CVS repo dir:
    echo $CVSROOT   # confirm that CVSROOT is set

And thats where it breaks. Even tho I've added the line from step a in .bashrc and .bash_profile, CVS still will not recognize that my CVSROOT is set. When I execute the command echo $CVSROOT, I get no output.

mdw7326@newyork:~$ echo $CVSROOT

mdw7326@newyork:~$

I've tried researching for myself but so far I have been unlucky so far. I know my way around linux but I'm no Guru and I'm hoping someone with a little more expertise has seen this problem before. I'm not sure if it is entirely relevant but im on Ubuntu 12.04.4 LTS (GNU/Linux 3.2.0-58-generic-pae i686)

[UPDATE]

when I display env CVSROOT IS in the list of variables

Answer 1

CVS just started working again. After several hours of me being inactive. I have two theories:

1. I was in a folder which did not have visibility to my CVSROOT variable, so naturally when I went to Test it with echo $CVSROOT, it printed nothing. I would've had to do cd first, then test it.

2. During the time I was inactive on this machine, a student using the physical machine in the computer
   lab rebooted it for one reason or another which made it work some how (Not too sure about this theory)

But either way it works now, but thanks for trying to help everyone

Answer 2

After editing your ~/.bashrc and/or ~/.bash_profile, you must log out and then log back in for the changes to take effect. (Alternatively you could type source ~/.bashrc and/or source ~/.bash_profile, but it's worth testing your changes the same way you'll be using them in the future -- i.e. by logging in fresh.)