COMMANDER_PATH variable in Windows 7?

Boofo · Post by *Boofo » 2011-09-28, 04:43 UTC

How do I set the COMMANDER_PATH variable to the "C:\Program Files (x86)\totalcmd\" in Windows 7 64-bit? I entered it into the registry at this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment

But it tells me it can't find "C:\Program Files (x86" whenever I use the COMMANDER_PATH variable. What am I missing?

Balderstrom · Post by *Balderstrom » 2011-09-28, 07:47 UTC

Take a look at: Setting Environment Variables | Passing Vars between Apps

Although, not sure why you want to set COMMANDER_PATH - that will be set by TC when TC launches.

It seems like only 64bit apps get new (or updated) environment variables without logging off or rebooting though.

But you should be able to set it as a User or Volatile variable, log out and back (or reboot) and it will stick.

Balderstrom · Post by *Balderstrom » 2011-09-28, 07:52 UTC

Note, if that isn't where TC is being launched from, TC itself will likely overwrite that variable value after it is launched.

Boofo · Post by *Boofo » 2011-09-28, 08:04 UTC

I'm setting the path in that key for use in Search Everything as I use the COMMANDER_PATH as part of the url for search variables in the INI file.

"C:\Program Files (x86)\totalcmd" is where TC is launched from.

Search Everything worked fine in XP Pro with those settings but is not working in Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit with the same settings. It has me baffled.

Balderstrom · Post by *Balderstrom » 2011-09-28, 08:32 UTC

Not sure, but in Win2K - I could change environment variables with SETENV.exe and they would propogate to all running programs except the current cmd.exe window.

Well I just searched for a fairly unique string that is one of my environment variables, and I found it in two places:

Code: Select all

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-NUMBERS-NUMBERS-NUMBERS-1000\Environment
AND
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Environment

I don't recall if Win2K or XP stored them in two places or not.

Possibly one set is accessible by 64bit and one set by 32? It seems they sync up after reboot/logoff though.

Boofo · Post by *Boofo » 2011-09-28, 08:42 UTC

I think what is happening is the path is too long. There are a bunch of other programs that have added to the path when I installed them. There is a limit, but I'm not sure what it is. Doesn't COMMANDER_PATH just add to the end of the path line even though it is a separate setting??

Balderstrom · Post by *Balderstrom » 2011-09-28, 10:20 UTC

Sounds like you are talking about two separate things. Setting an environment variable (COMMANDER_PATH), and setting the PATH variable itself.

I know there are a few questionable program/installs that add themselves (and multiple dirs at that) to the global path. JAVA is bad for that, and NetBeans (which pukes all over the AppData folder too). I was surprised to see all the path's added for ATI's CCC et al.

I tend to delete that junk from the path, and see if it still runs properly. All I really want to be there (if at all possible) is the windows defaults and a couple short (junctioned) paths to command-line tools (exe) and scripts (cmd).

Boofo · Post by *Boofo » 2011-09-28, 10:30 UTC

I ended up uninstalling TC and re-installing it to the Program Files directory. That fixed the COMMANDER_PATH issue as I changed it to "C:\Program Files\totalcmd". It seems that the COMMANDER_PATH variable does not like (x86), or maybe the brackets.

Yes, I was getting Path and COMMANDER_PATH confused. I am from the XP Pro generation so having to learn Windows 7 64-bit is a whole new area for me.

Balderstrom · Post by *Balderstrom » 2011-09-28, 11:11 UTC

I'm thinking it's either VoidTool's ESE or possibly your command is being run from a cmd.exe window.

In those cases, the directory probably needs quotes around it.
"(" round brackets ")" are one of a handful of special chars in windows batch files, and need to be escaped or quoted.

You could also likely use:
"%ProgramFiles(x86)%\TotalCMD" in ESE's .ini file.