Re: Whats the %=C:% environment variable used for ?

Frank Slootweg <[email protected]> 6 Feb 2026 19:46:45 GMT
Newsgroups alt.comp.os.windows-xp,alt.windows7.general,alt.comp.os.windows-10
Organization NOYB
Message-ID <[email protected]>
R.Wieser <[email protected]> wrote:
> Frank,
> 
> >  Current working directory, to be precise.
> 
> Nope, thats something else.

  No, it is, but - as usual - you snipped the/your context. Your
problem, not ours.

> >  Google, which you apparently don't want to use,
> 
> Some years ago Google stopped wanting to work with my non-javascript 
> browser.  Who's choice was that ?

  And that's our problem exactly how/why?

  If you don't want to use javascript, then fine, but face the
consequences and don't let others suffer the consequences of your
choices.

> > says (amongst others):
> >
> > "The %=C:% environment variable in Windows is a hidden, special
> > system-wide variable that stores the current working directory
> > for the C: drive.

  See? "current working directory", like I said.

> Its certainly not system-wide.

  It probably was in the "legacy mechanism". Another part you snipped.

  See a pattern there!? :-(

> > that allows the command processor (cmd.exe)
> 
> Ah, just for the command-processor processes.  That makes more sense.
> 
> > Here are the key details about %=C:%:
> [snip]
> 
> That explains nothing about its usage.

  It's usage is rather obvious from the snipped (Sigh!) example. The
others had no problems understanding it's usage, See for example, but
not only, Kenny's response.

> > "If you change drives, other variables like %=D:%, %=E:%, etc.,
> > are created for those respective drives.".
> 
> In the command-processor process the change is made in (iow: nothing "system 
> wide" about it).  Yeah, I noticed.
> 
> Bottom line :
> The question still stands : What is the "=C:" environment variable used for 
> ?

  Sigh!
  
  To know the current working directory on the C: drive, when the
active working directory is on another drive.

  As it's an environment variable, it can be used in other commands,
etc..

C:\home\franks>cd
C:\home\franks

C:\home\franks>m:

M:\>echo %=C:%
C:\home\franks

M:\>cd home

M:\home>c:

C:\home\franks>echo %=M:%
M:\home

C:\home\franks>