Adding directory to System Path via REG.EXE

[daddydave]

I am writing a batch file to add a directory to the Path, reg.exe style.

@echo off	
rem I used DoesNothing value while testing but will use the Path value
set Sysenvt=HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
for /f "tokens=3* delims=	" %%f in ('reg query "%SysEnvt%" /v DoesNothing') do set Currntpth=%%f
reg add "%SysEnvt%" /v DoesNothing /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "%Currntpth%;%%ProgramFiles%%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools" /f

That should be a tab character after delims=.

I managed to get it working exactly the way I want, but I was wondering if it could be improved. If I do the embedded req query by itself:

reg query "HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment" /v Path

One of the lines says

! REG.EXE VERSION 3.0

I'm not clear on what happens to this line, is it guaranteed to get ignored by the for /f processing?

(Testing in XP)

[IcemanND]

Am I missing something? Why not use the %PATH% variable?

@echo off
rem I used DoesNothing value while testing but will use the Path value
set Sysenvt=HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment
reg add "%SysEnvt%" /v DoesNothing /t REG_EXPAND_SZ /d "%PATH%;%%ProgramFiles%%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools" /f

I'm assuming this is still your testing code since 'DoesNothing' should be 'Path' if you are really trying to add this to the 'Path' variable.

[daddydave]

Am I missing something? Why not use the %PATH% variable?

I was originally trying to avoid adding a User environment var to the System environment, but now that you mention it, I'm only dealing with this one variable, and PATH seems to be pretty much always in the System environment , so that concern may be unwarranted.

Edited January 10, 2007 by daddydave

[daddydave]

Am I missing something? Why not use the %PATH% variable?

I was originally trying to avoid adding a User environment var to the System environment, but now that you mention it, I'm only dealing with this one variable, and PATH seems to be pretty much always in the System environment , so that concern may be unwarranted.

My way didn't work with the reg.exe version (2.0) that was made for Win2K, your way did. Thanks!