Why is %ProgramFiles(x86)% returned without quotes?

Question

Using this simple test batch script:

@echo off
echo %ProgramFiles%
echo %ProgramFiles(x86)%

is my output:

"C:\Program Files"
C:\Program Files (x86)

One variable is enclosed in quotes while the other isn't? Is this a bug of some sort, or a simple oversight on my behalf?

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered May 17 '09 at 07:00

3

Strange, I can't reproduce this on my machine (Windows Vista 64-bit SP 1). My output is

C:\Program Files
C:\Program Files (x86)

Are you sure you didn't insert quotes in your echo statement?

answered May 17 '09 at 07:00

splattne

Hmm... I've rebooted since and now am getting the correct, expected result. I'm fairly positive that there were no quotes in my statements (as that was my first guess). I'll see if I can recreate the issue at all. – Matt Hanson May 17 '09 at 07:20
I'm blaming this one on "late night tinkering". I must have manually added quotes somewhere. Thanks anyways! – Matt Hanson May 21 '09 at 00:19

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered May 17 '09 at 07:15

On W2k8 x64 I get:

c:\temp>echo %ProgramFiles% & echo %ProgramFiles(x86)%
C:\Program Files
C:\Program Files (x86)

If you type "set" you can see what the environment variables are. I get:

c:\temp>set
...
ProgramFiles=C:\Program Files
ProgramFiles(x86)=C:\Program Files (x86)
...

2 Answers2