Question

I am wondering if I can use VB.NET(I am using visual studio 2010 express) to get and set a environment variable.

I want to add path of my application on system environment. I want to preserve what is already there and then I wan to add my string.
This can be done by getting value of PATH and then append my string then re writing it.

I have 2 questions here:

1. How to get/set system variable in vb.net 2010?
2. Will it be on the fly, I mean will it be immediatly avaialble in dos prompt or there will be delay?

As just for experiment i opened a command prompt then updated the PATH variable manually and it was not updated. I am wondering it I do it through programe it will be same.

I hope i stated my problem clearly, please feel free to comment to ask if need more clarity.

Answer 1

You can use following methods:

• Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable
• Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable

Environment-Methods: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/yat6s6yb.aspx

Also note the optional third parameter in:

System.Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(variable,value,EnvironmentVariableTarget)

Possible values are: Machine, Process and User

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.environmentvariabletarget.aspx