VBScript Environment Variables

Applications make use of environment variables either by writing to or reading from them at different times during the runtime of a program. System administrators, IT analysts and anyone else using VBScript, can take advantage of the WshShl.Environment object to read these variables. They can be used as variables to pass on to other functions, or just gain status on the operation of a program.

Often times, applications will write license server information to these variables. Other times, the variables may be used to point an application to a test environment. Reading these variable is a great way for a VBScript to aquire server information or even switch between test and production environments.

Create a user environment variable by right-clicking on “My Computer”-->”properties”-->”Advanced” tab-->”Environment Variables and under “User variables for…”, select “New”. In the “New User Variable” window, within the “Variable name:” box, type “test1”. Within the “Variable value:” box, type “Bob”. Select “OK”. Select “OK” again to get out of the “Environment Variables” window, and then select “OK”.

Go to “Start”-->”All Programs” -->”Accessories”-->”Notepad”. After Notepad opens up, save the file as “C:\Temp\readUsrVar.vbs”. Adding .vbs as a file extension creates a VBScript executable.

Copy the following code to the empty readUsrVar.vbs file. Select in front of the “O” in Option explicit, and drag to the right of the “)” in WScript.Quit(). This will highlight the code. Do an “Edit”-->”Copy” or “Ctrl” + “C” to copy the code. Do an “Edit”-->”Paste” or “Ctrl” + “V” to paste the code into the readUsrVar.vbs file.

Option explicit

'Declare Variables

Dim WshShl, Shell, UserVar

'Set objects

Set WshShl = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

Set Shell = WshShl.Environment("User")

'Read variable

UserVar = Shell("Test1")

'Output value to msgbox

WScript.Echo "Your name is " & UserVar & "!"

'Cleanup Objects

Set WshShl = Nothing

Set Shell = Nothing

'Exit Script

WScript.Quit()

Save the file as “C:\Temp\readUsrVar.vbs”.

Browse to “C:\Temp\readUsrVar.vbs” using “My Computer” and double-click on the readUsrVar.vbs file. This will run the VBscript that was just created. A message box will appear stating “Your name is Bob!” Select “OK”

If the requirement is to read a “System” environment variable instead of a “User” environment variable,

replace this line in the VBScript, “Set Shell = WshShl.Environment("User")”, with this line, “Set Shell = WshShl.Environment("System")”.

Replace this line, “UserVar = Shell("test1")”, with this line, “UserVar = Shell(“os”)”.

Note that the “os” system variable is being used as an example in the line above, .

Replace this line, “WScript.Echo "Your name is " & UserVar & "!"”, with this line, “WScript.Echo UserVar”

In order for the VBScript to make sense, the UserVar variable should probably be renamed to SysVar, but the script will function just fine without this change.