DOCUMENT:Q35937 17-DEC-2000 [msdos] TITLE :Equal-Sign Characters in Environment Variables PRODUCT :Microsoft Disk Operating System PROD/VER:MS-DOS:2.x,3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22 OPER/SYS: KEYWORDS: ====================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in this article applies to: - Microsoft MS-DOS operating system versions 2.11, 3.1, 3.2, 3.21, 3.3, 3.3a, 4.0, 4.01, 5.0, 5.0a, 6.0, 6.2, 6.21, 6.22 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY ======= When using environment variables in MS-DOS, you cannot include an equal sign as a character data/value section in an environment variable. The MS-DOS environment parser uses the equal sign as the delimiter between the name and the value of an environment variable. Thus, trying to set the environment variable "EXRC" to "TABS=4" as follows set EXRC=TABS=4 would result in a syntax error. In OS/2, it is possible to set this environment variable by using the caret character (^) to "escape" the equal sign. Thus, under OS/2, it is possible to set the environment variable "EXRC" as follows: set EXRC=TABS^=4 Additional query words: 6.22 2.00 2.10 2.11 2.25 3.00 3.10 3.20 3.22 3.30 3.30A 4.00 5.00 5.00a 6.00 6.20 ====================================================================== Keywords : Technology : kbMSDOSSearch kbMSDOS321 kbMSDOS400 kbMSDOS320 kbMSDOS330a kbMSDOS621 kbMSDOS622 kbMSDOS620 kbMSDOS600 kbMSDOS310 kbMSDOS500 kbMSDOS330 kbMSDOS401 kbMSDOS500a kbMSDOS211 Version : MS-DOS:2.x,3.x,4.x,5.x,6.0,6.2,6.21,6.22 ============================================================================= THE INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE MICROSOFT KNOWLEDGE BASE IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. Copyright Microsoft Corporation 2000.