XPost: alt.comp.os.windows-xp, alt.windows7.general   
   From: this@ddress.is.invalid   
      
   R.Wieser  wrote:   
   > Hello all,   
   >   
   > A couple of days ago I was looking at the envronment variables, and noticed   
   > a variable named "=C:", containing the current path of that drive.   
      
     Current working directory, to be precise.   
      
   > Can anyone tell me what it was/is used for ?   
      
     Google, which you apparently don't want to use, says (amongst others):   
      
   "The %=C:% environment variable in Windows is a hidden, special   
    system-wide variable that stores the current working directory for the   
    C: drive.   
      
    It is part of a legacy mechanism (dating back to MS-DOS) that allows   
    the command processor (cmd.exe) to track separate current directories   
    for every drive letter, rather than having one single global current   
    directory for the whole system.   
      
    Here are the key details about %=C:%:   
      
    * Function: It keeps track of where you are in the C: drive if you are   
      currently working on a different drive (e.g., if you are in D:\Data   
      but type cd C:\Users, %=C:% will be updated to C:\Users).   
      
    * Automatic Management: This variable is managed automatically by   
      cmd.exe when you use the cd (chdir) command."   
      
   > Remarks: Using the command-prompt it doesn't appear in the "set" list, and   
   > it can be read, but not written.   
      
     Google confirm that behaviour.   
      
     It also gives a comparison with other variables. such ad %CD%   
   %SystemDrive% and mentions the somwhat obvious:   
      
   "If you change drives, other variables like %=D:%, %=E:%, etc., are   
    created for those respective drives.".   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)