Q263105: Environment Variables Not Set by "Double-Click"

Article: Q263105
Product(s): Microsoft Windows NT
Version(s): WINDOWS:2000; winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbenv kbtool
Last Modified: 08-AUG-2001

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The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Windows NT Server versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows NT Workstation versions 3.5, 3.51, 4.0 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server 
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server 
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SYMPTOMS
========

When an environment varibale is defined from a batch file or from the
command-line, the defined variable and value do not appear in other command-line
windows (Ntvdm.exe instances) and/or are not available to programs.

CAUSE
=====

The set command defines a variable only for the current command line session,
(Ntvdm.exe).

When you double-click a batch file, the batch file runs in its own NTVDM session
and then closes, so the environment variable does not show up when you open a
new session or look in another session to see the values.

RESOLUTION
==========

The solution is to use setx from the Windows NT resource kit, because it can
establish environment variables for a user session or define a system variable.

Setx has three modes of operation: it can define a variable for the user's
session, or the system overall, or it can extract a value from the registry and
set the result to the user session or the system. See the examples below:

To set a system variable:
setx color blue -m

To set a user variable:
setx color green

To extract a registry value and set a variable to a system variable:
setx color -k HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console\ScreenColors -m
(To set a registry key value to a user session variable simply omit the -m
switch)

STATUS
======

This behavior is by design.

Additional query words:

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Keywords          : kbenv kbtool 
Component         : ResKit Utilities,VDM VDM
Technology        : kbWinNTsearch kbWinNTWsearch kbWinNTW400 kbWinNTW400search kbWinNT351search kbWinNT350search kbWinNT400search kbWinNTW350 kbWinNTW350search kbWinNTW351search kbWinNTW351 kbwin2000AdvServ kbwin2000AdvServSearch kbwin2000Serv kbWinNTSsearch kbWinNTS400search kbWinNTS400 kbWinNTS351 kbWinNTS350 kbwin2000ServSearch kbwin2000Search kbwin2000ProSearch kbwin2000Pro kbWinNTS351search kbWinNTS350search kbWinAdvServSearch
Version           : WINDOWS:2000; winnt:3.5,3.51,4.0
Issue type        : kbprb
Solution Type     : kbnofix

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