Using "=" in Environment Variables (26719)


The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 2.11
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.1
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.2
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.21
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 3.3a
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 4.01
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 5.0a
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.0
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.2
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.21
  • Microsoft MS-DOS operating system 6.22
This article was previously published under Q26719
You cannot use an environment variable with an equal sign embedded in it. For example, the following variable does not work:

set EXRC=tabs=4

This is because MS-DOS interprets the equal sign as the delimiter between the environment variable name and its value (name=value). The environment area contains all of these strings, terminating each one with an ASCII null character 00H.

Also, there can be no spaces between the variable, the equal sign, and the string value.

Correct:

Set variable=string

Incorrect:

Set variable = string

Modification Type:MajorLast Reviewed:5/10/2003
Keywords:KB26719
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