cmd - Accessing Folder with Environment Variable Name

Question

I'm just curious about this:

It's possible to create a Folder, in Windows Explorer, with the same Name as an Environment Variable (like %ProgramData%).

The same procedure in CMD.exe with mkdir prevents this and if i try to access this folder, i always get re-directed to the Environment Variable.

But is there any known way to access this kind of Folder with the command-line?

Are there any escape parameters for this, to prevent resolving the variable?

Relevant: [In Windows Explorer, why can we create a folder or file with the percent (%) symbol, if the percent symbol is used for existing variables?](https://superuser.com/q/1096208) — DavidPostill, Sep 08 '16 at 17:00

Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-08T13:57:41.237

1

For accessing the directory (via cd), you could use the console's character replacement (aka wildcards), and replace one of (or both) the percent signs with a question mark. e.g.:

cd ?ProgramData%
cd %ProgramData?
cd ?ProgramData?

Alternatively, and for use with other commands like rename, md and such, you can escape the percentage with a caret (^). e.g:

md ^%ProgramData^%

edited Sep 08 '16 at 13:57

answered Sep 08 '16 at 13:30

Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007

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This works, so far. But for `mkdir` and `rename`, this is no solution. :/ – Smartis has left SO again Sep 08 '16 at 13:50
I assumed that when you asked about "Accessing" the folder, that you meant you wanted to navigate into the folder. – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Sep 08 '16 at 13:53
No problem; it was an interesting question. :) – Ƭᴇcʜιᴇ007 Sep 08 '16 at 14:00

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Sep 08 '16 at 13:54

0

I was able to mkdir with

mkdir "%test%"

and then navigate to it with

cd "%test%"

Also works with rename

answered Sep 08 '16 at 13:54

J E Carter II

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Is `%test%` a resolvable `Environment Variable` on your System? – Smartis has left SO again Sep 08 '16 at 13:56
oh, good question. I'll set it and try that again. – J E Carter II Sep 08 '16 at 13:57
1

Interesting. test is equal to value. When I mkdir "%test%" I get a directory named value. Should have seen that coming. hehe – J E Carter II Sep 08 '16 at 13:59

cmd - Accessing Folder with Environment Variable Name

2 Answers2