http://qiime.org/1.8.0/install/qiime_config.html
1) Check QIIME default settings
# start qiime
source activate qiime1
# show default QIIME settings
print_qiime_config.py -t
2) Search original qiime_config file and copy to home directory
# search location of the qiime_config file
find ${HOME} -type f -name "qiime_config"
/home/username/miniconda2/envs/qiime1/lib/python2.7/site-packages/qiime/support_files/qiime_config
# copy file into home directory as .qiime_config (dot prefix for hidden file)
cp /home/username/path/to/original/file/qiime_config ${HOME}/.qiime_config
Change QIIME tmp directory
# Edit file .qiime_config (in home directory), open in pure text editor (not word)
nano .qiime_config
# add new folder to temp_dir line (tab separated):
temp_dir /my/new/tmp/directory/
# check if new settings are working
print_qiime_config.py -t
...
assign_taxonomy_id_to_taxonomy_fp: /home/.../gg_13_8_otus/taxonomy/97_otu_taxonomy.txt
temp_dir: /my/new/tmp/directory/
slurm_memory: None
slurm_queue: None
...
# to work with all Python scripts, new tmp path needs set in shell variable TMPDIR (add export command to your .bashrc file)
export TMPDIR=/my/new/tmp/directory