Setting a Environment Variables via Powershell for another User - powershell

I am trying to set the environment variables of a user XYZ from the powershell of admin user ABC. I am using Start-Process to launch the powershell of user XYZ but i am not able to capture the output. All this process needs to be done in Java.
Can someone help me out.
Thanks
Ajax

When you change environment variables, the change affects only the current PowerShell session (like if you were using SET command in a Windows cmd). To make the changes permanent, you have to change them with a utility like SETX. You must also have permission to change the values.

Check this TechNet article on it: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff730964.aspx
Basically, you're going to want to set it using the .NET method at the machine scope:
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("TestVariable","Test Value","Machine")
You'll need to restart your Powershell session to be able to access the new environment variable after creating it.

Related

How to enable edge extension using powershell script

Post installation of an application it creates a edge extension but by default it is turned off.
Does anyone have solution to enable it using powershell script?
I'm new to powershell to not sure how to and where to start with.
First, test without Powershell.
Add the ID under HKCU\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\ExtensionInstallForcelist
Check via edge://extensions
Only manage extensions via either HKCU or HKLM.
More information on Information about extensions.
When this works, you can write the PowerShell code to modify the registry accordingly.
With kind regards,
TheStingPilot

Powershell GetEnvironmentVariable vs $Env

I have run into a couple cases where I am trying to use a command via command line, but the command is not recognized. I have narrowed it down to an issue with environment variables. In each case, the variable is present when I retrieve the variable with the underlying C# method, but not with the shorthand, $env:myVariable
For example, if I retrieve the variable like this, I will get a value.
[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('ChocolateyInstall', 'Machine')
But, if I retrieve the variable like this, nothing is returned
$env:ChocolateyInstall
I then have to do something like this to to get my command to work.
$env:ChocolateyInstall = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('ChocolateyInstall', 'Machine')
I have not been able to find a good explanation as to why I have to do this. I've looked at this documentation, but nothing stands out to me. Ideally, I would like to install a CLI and then not have to deal with checking for and assigning environment variables for the command to work.
When opening a PowerShell session, all permanently stored environment variables1 will be loaded into the Environment drive (Env:) of this current session (source):
The Environment drive is a flat namespace containing the environment
variables specific to the current user's session.
The documentation you linked states:
When you change environment variables in PowerShell, the change
affects only the current session. This behavior resembles the behavior
of the Set command in the Windows Command Shell and the Setenv command
in UNIX-based environments. To change values in the Machine or User
scopes, you must use the methods of the System.Environment class.
So defining/changing an environment variable like this:
$env:ChocolateyInstall = [Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('ChocolateyInstall', 'Machine')
Will change it for the current session, thus being immediately effective, but will also only be valid for the current session.
The methods of [System.Environment] are more fine grained. There you can choose which environment variable scope to address. There are three scopes available:
Machine
User
Process
The Process scope is equivalent to the Environment drive and covers the environment variables available in your current session. The Machine and the User scope address the permanently stored environment variables1. You can get variables from a particular scope like this:
[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariable('ChocolateyInstall', 'Machine')
And set them with:
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable('ChocolateyInstall', 'any/path/to/somewhere', 'Machine')
If you want to have new variables from the Machine or User scope available in your current PowerShell session, you have to create a new one. But don't open a new PowerShell session from your current PowerShell session, as it will then inherit all environment variables from your current PowerShell session (source):
Environment variables, unlike other types of variables in PowerShell,
are inherited by child processes, such as local background jobs and
the sessions in which module members run. This makes environment
variables well suited to storing values that are needed in both parent
and child processes.
So, to address the problem you described, you most probably changed your permanently stored environment variables1, while already having an open PowerShell session. If so, you just need to open a new (really new, see above) session and you will be able to access your environment variables via the Environment drive. Just to be clear, opening a new session will even reload environment variables of the Machine scope. There is no reboot required.
1 That are the environment variables you see in the GUI when going to the System Control Panel, selecting Advanced System Settings and on the Advanced tab, clicking on Environment Variable. Those variables cover the User and the Machine scope.
Alternatively, you can open this GUI directly by executing:
rundll32 sysdm.cpl,EditEnvironmentVariables

Export PowerShell prompt to remote session

I want to customize my PowerShell prompt to my personal preference. After following the information provided by the Microsoft docs I finally ended up with a satisfying result.
Then I opened a remote session and the prompt was not loaded during the remote session. Instead the default one was used.
My question now is whether there's a possability of exporting the local prompt to a PowerShell remote session (to every computer). What's interesting in my opinion is that the remote session to my own computer also didn't load the globally configured prompt on my computer. Also I want to know whether (and how) you can customize this remote prompt if there's a special possability (e.g. define a function like remote-prompt {...} to configure the PSRemoting prompt) for this, provided that you do need (or can) export the local prompt.
The official docs to customize the prompt only explained local things like nesting which are not working by default.
You might want to do something with PowerShell Profiles.
Also you can change the look and feel from your PowerShell by changing the $host.UI.RawUI parameters. Eg. $host.ui.RawUI.WindowTitle = "Installing some stuff...", $host.ui.RawUI.WindowSize=(New-Object System.Management.Automation.Host.Size(1024,768), $host.ui.RawUI.ForeGroundColor = "red", etc...

add new environment variable [system] using power shell

I am trying to add new Environment variable in my windows 10 system , i am using below powershell command to add System variable
$env:ITH_PYTHON_PATH = 'C:\Python27\Python.exe'
i can see command is successful in adding the new values, and i can get back value when i use command $env:ITH_PYTHON_PATH.
I cannot see updated path when i manually go to the system property Environment variable
After reboot $env:ITH_PYTHON_PATH is also not seen.
Is there any better way to add environment variable permanently?
Would something like this work?
[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("ITH_PYTHON_PATH", "C:\Python27\Python.exe", "Machine")

Can a Batch script know if it's called from PowerShell?

Is there any way a batch script can know if it's called from PowerShell (without extra parameters feeded)?
Need something like..
if (%THIS_BATCH_CALLED_FROM_POWERSHELL%)
... warn the user or drop back to powershell to execute the proper instructions...
Question related with this question - virtualenv-in-powershell.
You could use a tool like "tlist.exe /t" or this one to display the PIDs of the current process and all parent processes. You could check each one of those PIDs to see if any correspond to PowerShell.exe.
You could add a default warning in the script and pass it a flag that tells it not to show the warning. When you call it from power shell pass it that flag.
In my Powershell environment (a PS 2.0 CTP), I seem to have an environment variable PSMODULEPATH which is not set by the normal command line environment, but still exists when Powershell has a child CMD.exe shell.
I think you might be able to "reliably enough" check for the existence of PSMODULEPATH in your batch script.