title: Gitlab Secure Variables that are set in the build environment are not working with gitlab-ci file
body: <p>I am using latest Gitlab infra as a repository and shared runner to build my code.</p>
  
  <p>Currently I am trying to build and deploy <strong>nodejs</strong> application using <strong>strong-pm</strong>{running on my ec2 remote server with port 8701}. I can be able to build and deploy my build code from development system as well as from Gitlab defined in <strong>gitlab-ci.yml</strong> file via <strong>http</strong> from where <strong>strongloop</strong> has been installed:</p>
  
  <pre><code>- npm install -g strongloop 
  - slc build --npm 
  - slc deploy http://remote-host:8701 ../node-project-1.0.0.tgz 
     o/p: Deployed `../node-project-1.0.0.tgz` as `node-project` to `http://remote-host:8701/
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>When I try to deploy the same using secure connection, its working if I try to deploy it from my development system by setting environment variables:</p>
  
  <pre><code>$ sudo chmod 600 ~/.ssh/ec2.rsa 
  $ export SSH_USER=ubuntu {amazon ec2 remote server user name}       
  $ export SSH_KEY=~/.ssh/ec2.rsa {amazon ec2 remote server access key}   
  $ slc deploy http+ssh://remote-host:8701    
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>But when I try the same deploying from Gitlab infra as defined in gitlab-ci.yml file its giving:</p>
  
  <pre><code>        fs.js:634
        return binding.open(pathModule._makeLong(path), stringToFlags(flags), mode);
                       ^
  
      Error: ENOENT: no such file or directory, open 
      -
      -
     My SSH_KEY displayed here
      -
      -
     at Error (native)
      at Object.fs.openSync (fs.js:634:18)
      at Object.fs.readFileSync (fs.js:502:33)
      at Object.&lt;anonymous&gt; (/usr/local/lib/node_modules/strongloop/node_modules/strong-deploy/bin/sl-deploy.js:112:27)
      at Module._compile (module.js:541:32)
      at Object.Module._extensions..js (module.js:550:10)
      at Module.load (module.js:458:32)
      at tryModuleLoad (module.js:417:12)
      at Function.Module._load (module.js:409:3)
      at /usr/local/lib/node_modules/strongloop/lib/command.js:28:23
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I have added my SSH_KEY and SSH_USER in <strong>secret variables</strong> {Project > Variables > Add Variable} option provided by Gitlab. And if i do <code>echo $SSH_USER</code> and <code>echo $SSH_USER</code> it displays the variables as i added in secrete variables. </p>
  
  <p>My sample  gitlab-ci.yml file is here:</p>
  
  <pre><code>test:  
        stage: test
        script:
         - npm install -g strongloop
         - slc build --npm
         - echo $SSH_USER
         - echo $SSH_KEY  
         - slc deploy http+ssh://remote-host:8701 ../node-project-1.0.0.tgz 
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Please let me know if anyone could help me with this strange issue. Thanks in advance</p>