ShellExecute function is not give expected result.

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Please consider the set of below code. I want to set the value of an environment variable using command line. That's why i am used ShellExecute.
Function execute successfully. But it will not change the environment variable value. why?

C++

CoInitializeEx(NULL, COINIT_APARTMENTTHREADED | COINIT_DISABLE_OLE1DDE);
ShellExecute(0, _T( "open" ), _T( "cmd.exe" ), _T( "/C set ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Program" ), 0, SW_SHOWNORMAL);

Posted 8-Apr-13 22:10pm

Programmady

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2 solutions

Solution 2

You Can Use

_putenv()

look here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/83zh4e6k%28v=vs.80%29.aspx[^]

Posted 8-Apr-13 22:40pm

LaxmikantYadav

Comments

Jochen Arndt 9-Apr-13 5:55am

From your link:

"_putenv and _wputenv affect only the environment that is local to the current process; you cannot use them to modify the command-level environment."

So this will only affect the environment of the calling process and other processes started by the application calling _putenv() when inheriting the environment of the parent process.

The SET shell command uses _putenv() internally which declares the behaviour from Programmady's question.

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Steve44 · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-08T22:26:00

Solution 1

I think this will not work the way you tried it, using set within the cmd.exe shell, the change will not be globally visible.
Try the setx.exe command, this will provide a change of the environment variable that is available to other processes.
See http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3803581/setting-a-system-environment-variable-from-a-windows-batch-file[^] for more details.

For your example this would be (the environment variable will be visible to all users on this machine):

C++

ShellExecute(0, _T( "open" ), _T( "setx.exe" ), _T( "-m ALLUSERSPROFILE C:\Program" ), 0, SW_SHOWNA);

Posted 8-Apr-13 22:26pm

Steve44

Updated 8-Apr-13 22:49pm

v3

Comments

Programmady 9-Apr-13 4:28am

Please explain...

Steve44 9-Apr-13 4:31am

set only changes the environment variable for the current shell session, it can not be seen from other processes, setx makes a system wide change that is available to all processes.

Programmady 9-Apr-13 4:38am

can you show me an example?

Steve44 9-Apr-13 4:50am

Added the code example to the solution.