Environment Variables - How to

[Sarah Tanembaum]

I'm wondering if there are such a command line/console version of setting
the environment variables.

Instead of using the GUI version, I'm used to create user using the console
command, e.g:

net user ...
net user localgroup ...

It is faster and I can use a .bat for automation.

Now, I need to set up environment variables for all users in the systems.
I'm using the control-panel -> system ->advanced -> environment variables to
set up all the environment variables. How can I do that using the console
windows(as administrator)?

Thanks

[Peter]

use the SET command
set myvar=fred
echo %myvar%


"Sarah Tanembaum" <sarahtanembaum@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2k30rbF173vkrU1@uni-berlin.de...

> I'm wondering if there are such a command line/console version of setting
> the environment variables.
>
> Instead of using the GUI version, I'm used to create user using the

console

> command, e.g:
>
> net user ...
> net user localgroup ...
>
> It is faster and I can use a .bat for automation.
>
> Now, I need to set up environment variables for all users in the systems.
> I'm using the control-panel -> system ->advanced -> environment variables

to

> set up all the environment variables. How can I do that using the console
> windows(as administrator)?
>
> Thanks
>
>

[Sarah Tanembaum]

"Peter" <bscinc@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:OSFUGDtWEHA.4032@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

> use the SET command
> set myvar=fred
> echo %myvar%
>
>
> "Sarah Tanembaum" <sarahtanembaum@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:2k30rbF173vkrU1@uni-berlin.de...

> > I'm wondering if there are such a command line/console version of

setting

> > the environment variables.
> >
> > Instead of using the GUI version, I'm used to create user using the

> console

> > command, e.g:
> >
> > net user ...
> > net user localgroup ...
> >
> > It is faster and I can use a .bat for automation.
> >
> > Now, I need to set up environment variables for all users in the

systems.

> > I'm using the control-panel -> system ->advanced -> environment

variables

> to

> > set up all the environment variables. How can I do that using the

console

> > windows(as administrator)?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >

>
>

I know about setting it up for the current console, but I need to set up for
all users and permanent as well.

I know that you can do the above for the current windows, or use the login
script to set that up, but I'm sure there are another where, I think, you
have to write it to the registry so it will apply for all user.

Thanks

[Sarah Tanembaum]

"Peter" <bscinc@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:OSFUGDtWEHA.4032@TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...

> use the SET command
> set myvar=fred
> echo %myvar%
>
>
> "Sarah Tanembaum" <sarahtanembaum@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:2k30rbF173vkrU1@uni-berlin.de...

> > I'm wondering if there are such a command line/console version of

setting

> > the environment variables.
> >
> > Instead of using the GUI version, I'm used to create user using the

> console

> > command, e.g:
> >
> > net user ...
> > net user localgroup ...
> >
> > It is faster and I can use a .bat for automation.
> >
> > Now, I need to set up environment variables for all users in the

systems.

> > I'm using the control-panel -> system ->advanced -> environment

variables

> to

> > set up all the environment variables. How can I do that using the

console

> > windows(as administrator)?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >

>
>

Perhaps any one can shed me some lights ---

when I did Control Panel -> System ->Advanced -> Environment Variables and
set some environment variables, where did it get written to? and how do one
do it using the command line/console? Thanks

[Torgeir Bakken \(MVP\)]

Sarah Tanembaum wrote:

> I'm wondering if there are such a command line/console version of setting
> the environment variables.

Hi

You can e.g use setx.exe for this.

For WinXP yo it is included as a utility in the support tools installation
package (on your WinXP CD) installed by suptools.msi.

It is also in the free part of Win2000 Resource Kit:
[url]http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/setx-o.asp[/url]

I would think you can use either version on either OS version.


When adding or removing components from the _path_ from the command line,
I suggest using Pathman.exe (Path Manager).

Pathman.exe can be downloaded from here:
[url]http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/pathman-o.asp[/url]

It will e.g. handle repeated entries.

Pathman.exe is also in the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools
[url]http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9d467a69-57ff-4ae7-96ee-b18c4790cffd&DisplayLang=en[/url]

(The kit will install on WinXP or later)


--
torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
[url]http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/scriptcenter/default.mspx[/url]

[Sarah Tanembaum]

"Torgeir Bakken (MVP)" <Torgeir.Bakken-spam@hydro.com> wrote in message
news:OxozC6uWEHA.2716@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...

> Sarah Tanembaum wrote:
>

> > I'm wondering if there are such a command line/console version of

setting

> > the environment variables.

> Hi
>
> You can e.g use setx.exe for this.
>
> For WinXP yo it is included as a utility in the support tools installation
> package (on your WinXP CD) installed by suptools.msi.
>
> It is also in the free part of Win2000 Resource Kit:
>

[url]http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/setx-o.asp[/url]

>
> I would think you can use either version on either OS version.
>
>
> When adding or removing components from the _path_ from the command line,
> I suggest using Pathman.exe (Path Manager).
>
> Pathman.exe can be downloaded from here:
>

[url]http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/pathman-o.asp[/url]

>
> It will e.g. handle repeated entries.
>
> Pathman.exe is also in the Windows Server 2003 Resource Kit Tools
>

[url]http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9d467a69-57ff-4ae7-96ee-b18c4790cffd&DisplayLang=en[/url]

>
> (The kit will install on WinXP or later)
>
>
> --
> torgeir, Microsoft MVP Scripting and WMI, Porsgrunn Norway
> Administration scripting examples and an ONLINE version of
> the 1328 page Scripting Guide:
> [url]http://www.microsoft.com/technet/community/scriptcenter/default.mspx[/url]

Thanks I will check it out, but in the mean time, I found this under:

HKLM\Current ControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment\
....
....

And it contains all the path I created plus some that I'm not quite
understand.
It has some hex number for certain Environment Variables. Any idea?

Can I just export the above and reload into different machine that has
similar setup? Thanks

[Dave Patrick]

Note that system environment variables are stored in;
HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment

User environment variables are stored in;
HKCU\Environment

Also note the type is Reg_Expand_Sz which must be created with regedt32.exe
Yes you can export and then import the *.reg file through regedit.exe but be
careful with system variables.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
[url]http://www.microsoft.com/protect[/url]


"Sarah Tanembaum" wrote:
| Thanks I will check it out, but in the mean time, I found this under:
|
| HKLM\Current ControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment\
| ...
| ...
|
| And it contains all the path I created plus some that I'm not quite
| understand.
| It has some hex number for certain Environment Variables. Any idea?
|
| Can I just export the above and reload into different machine that has
| similar setup? Thanks
|
|

[Sarah Tanembaum]

Thanks Dave. What is that hex number represent? Is it the ascii number?
Thanks

"Dave Patrick" <mail@NoSpam.DSPatrick.com> wrote in message
news:OZEvd0zWEHA.1368@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...

> Note that system environment variables are stored in;
> HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
>
> User environment variables are stored in;
> HKCU\Environment
>
> Also note the type is Reg_Expand_Sz which must be created with

regedt32.exe

> Yes you can export and then import the *.reg file through regedit.exe but

be

> careful with system variables.
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
> Microsoft Certified Professional
> Microsoft MVP [Windows]
> [url]http://www.microsoft.com/protect[/url]
>
>
> "Sarah Tanembaum" wrote:
> | Thanks I will check it out, but in the mean time, I found this under:
> |
> | HKLM\Current ControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment\
> | ...
> | ...
> |
> | And it contains all the path I created plus some that I'm not quite
> | understand.
> | It has some hex number for certain Environment Variables. Any idea?
> |
> | Can I just export the above and reload into different machine that has
> | similar setup? Thanks
> |
> |
>
>

[Dave Patrick]

You're probably looking at them through regedit hence the hex value for a
type Reg_Expand_Sz element. Try looking at them with regedt32.exe

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
[url]http://www.microsoft.com/protect[/url]


"Sarah Tanembaum" wrote:
| Thanks Dave. What is that hex number represent? Is it the ascii number?
| Thanks

[Sarah Tanembaum]

Dave,
under regedt32, it display okay without the hex, but when I
exported the Environment registry and read the text file, some values are in
hex number. Any ideas?

Thanks

"Dave Patrick" <mail@NoSpam.DSPatrick.com> wrote in message
news:eJYTbe4WEHA.2792@TK2MSFTNGP10.phx.gbl...

> You're probably looking at them through regedit hence the hex value for a
> type Reg_Expand_Sz element. Try looking at them with regedt32.exe
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
> Microsoft Certified Professional
> Microsoft MVP [Windows]
> [url]http://www.microsoft.com/protect[/url]
>
>
> "Sarah Tanembaum" wrote:
> | Thanks Dave. What is that hex number represent? Is it the ascii number?
> | Thanks
>
>

[Dave Patrick]

Yes, don't worry about it. You can't read them with a text editor.

--
Regards,

Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
Microsoft Certified Professional
Microsoft MVP [Windows]
[url]http://www.microsoft.com/protect[/url]


"Sarah Tanembaum" wrote:
| Dave,
| under regedt32, it display okay without the hex, but when I
| exported the Environment registry and read the text file, some values are
in
| hex number. Any ideas?
|
| Thanks

[Sarah Tanembaum]

"Dave Patrick" <mail@NoSpam.DSPatrick.com> wrote in message
news:u$sH464WEHA.1380@TK2MSFTNGP09.phx.gbl...

> Yes, don't worry about it. You can't read them with a text editor.
>
> --
> Regards,
>
> Dave Patrick ....Please no email replies - reply in newsgroup.
> Microsoft Certified Professional
> Microsoft MVP [Windows]
> [url]http://www.microsoft.com/protect[/url]
>
>
> "Sarah Tanembaum" wrote:
> | Dave,
> | under regedt32, it display okay without the hex, but when I
> | exported the Environment registry and read the text file, some values

are

> in
> | hex number. Any ideas?
> |
> | Thanks
>
>

Thanks.