Windows Command Shell Overview

The Windows Command Shell provides direct communication between the user and the operating system using the command interpreter Cmd.exe, which loads applications and directs the flow of information between applications.

Using the Windows Script Host, you can return useful system information to your MS Access and other Office applications.

The system and local environment variables for Windows XP:

%ALLUSERSPROFILE%
Local
Returns the location of the All Users Profile.
%APPDATA%
Local
Returns the location where applications store data by default.
%CD%
Local
Returns the current directory string.
%CMDCMDLINE%
Local
Returns the exact command line used to start the current Cmd.exe.
%CMDEXTVERSION%
System
Returns the version number of the current Command Processor Extensions.
%COMPUTERNAME%
System
Returns the name of the computer.
%COMSPEC%
System
Returns the exact path to the command shell executable.
%DATE%
System
Returns the current date. Uses the same format as the date /t command. Generated by Cmd.exe.
%ERRORLEVEL%
System
Returns the error code of the most recently used command. A non zero value usually indicates an error.
%HOMEDRIVE%
System
Returns which local workstation drive letter is connected to the user's home directory. Set based on the value of the home directory. The user's home directory is specified in Local Users and Groups.
%HOMEPATH%
System
Returns the full path of the user's home directory. Set based on the value of the home directory. The user's home directory is specified in Local Users and Groups.
%HOMESHARE%
System
Returns the network path to the user's shared home directory. Set based on the value of the home directory. The user's home directory is specified in Local Users and Groups.
%LOGONSEVER%
Local
Returns the name of the domain controller that validated the current logon session.
%NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS%
System
Specifies the number of processors installed on the computer.
%OS%
System
Returns the operating system name. Windows 2000 displays the operating system as Windows_NT.
%PATH%
System
Specifies the search path for executable files.
%PATHEXT%
System
Returns a list of the file extensions that the operating system considers to be executable.
%PROCESSOR_ARCHITECTURE%
System
Returns the chip architecture of the processor. Values: x86, IA64.
%PROCESSOR_IDENTIFIER%
System
Returns a description of the processor.
%PROCESSOR_LEVEL%
System
Returns the model number of the processor installed on the computer.
%PROCESSOR_REVISION%
System
Returns the revision number of the processor.
%PROMPT%
Local
Returns the command prompt settings for the current interpreter. Generated by Cmd.exe.
%RANDOM%
System
Returns a random decimal number between 0 and 32767. Generated by Cmd.exe.
%SYSTEMDRIVE%
System
Returns the drive containing the Windows XP root directory (that is, the system root).
%SYSTEMROOT%
System
Returns the location of the Windows XP root directory.
%TEMP% and %TMP%
System and User
Returns the default temporary directories that are used by applications available to users who are currently logged on. Some applications require TEMP and others require TMP.
%TIME%
System
Returns the current time. Uses the same format as the time /t command. Generated by Cmd.exe. $USERDOMAIN%
Local
Returns the name of the domain that contains the user's account.
%USERNAME%
Local
Returns the name of the user who is currently logged on.
%USERPROFILE%
Local
Returns the location of the profile for the current user.
%WINDIR%
System
Returns the location of the operating system directory.