12.1 Windows Special System Variables

A Windows special system variable is one that defines the Windows directories. The typical paths listed below are based on default installations and might not match your specific setup.

Suppose that you have installed Windows to drive D: (for example, D:\WINDOWS). However, an application installation expects Windows to be on drive C: (for example, C:\WINDOWS). You can use the WinDisk system variable to substitute drive D: for the files that require it.

NOTE:For compatibility with traditional ZENworks, the system variable can also be specified in one of the following formats:

  • %system_variable%

    For example, %ProgramFiles%

  • %*system_variable%

    For example, %*ProgramFiles%

  • ${system_variable}

    For example, ${ProgramFiles}

Table 12-1 Windows System Variables

Macro

Description

${AdminTools}

File system directory that contains the administrative tools that appear in the Control Panel when a specific user logs on to the device.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools.

${AllUsersProfile}

File system directory that contains common profile for all the users.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\All Users.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\ProgramData.

${AppData}

File system directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Application Data.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming.

${CommonDesktop}

File system directory that contains files and folders that appear on the desktop for all users.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Desktop.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Public\Desktop.

${CommonPrograms}

File system directory that contains the directories for the common program groups that appear on the Start menu for all users.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

${CommonStartMenu}

File system directory that contains the programs and folders that appear on the Start menu for all users.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically: C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu.

${CommonStartup}

File system directory that contains the programs that appear in the Startup folder for all users. The system starts these programs whenever any user logs on.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, typically this directory is C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, typically this directory is C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs/Startup.

${CommonAdminTools}

File system directory that contains the administrative tools that appear in the Control Panel for all users who logs in to the device.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools.

${CommonAppData}

File system directory that contains the application-specific data for all users who logs in to the device.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\ProgramData.

${CommonDocuments}

File system directory that contains the documents shared by all users who log in to the device.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically: C:\Users\Public\Documents.

${CommonProgramFiles}

File system directory that contains the program files shared by multiple applications. On a Windows Server 2008, Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Program Files\Common Files.

${CommonTemplates}

File system directory that contains the document templates shared by all users who log in to the device.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically: C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Templates.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Templates.

${Cookies}

Files system directory that contains the user’s cookies.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Cookies.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, it is typically: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Cookies.

${Desktop}

File system directory used to physically store file objects on the desktop (not the desktop folder itself).

On a Windows Server 2003, typically this directory is C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Desktop.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, typically this directory is C:\Users\Username\Desktop.

${Favorites}

File system directory that serves as a common repository for the user’s favorite items.

On a Windows Server 2003, typically this directory is C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Favorites.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, typically this directory is C:\Users\Username\Favorites.

${Fonts}

Virtual folder containing fonts. Typically C:\Windows\Fonts.

${History}

File system directory that contains the user’s history of visited Internet addresses.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically, C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\History.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\History.

${LocalAppData}

File system directory that serves as a common repository for application-specific data.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically, C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local.

${MyPictures}

File system directory that contains a specific user’s graphics files.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically c:\Documents and Settings\Username\My Documents\My Pictures.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically c:\Users\Username\Pictures.

${NetHood}

File system directory containing objects that appear in the network neighborhood.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\NetHood.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Network Shortcuts.

${Personal}

File system directory that serves as a common repository for documents.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically: C:\Documents and Settings\Username\My Documents.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\Documents.

${PrintHood}

File system directory that serves as a common repository for printer links.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\PrintHood.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Printer Shortcuts.

${Programs}

File system directory that contains the user’s program groups, which are also file system directories.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Start Menu\Programs.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

  • For a Windows 7 device, when the action is configured for logged-in user or dynamic administrator, it is typically: C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs

    • This variable is not resolved for the system user.

${ProgramData}

File system directory that contains the user’s program groups, which are also file system directories.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\ProgramData.

${ProgramFiles}

File system directory that contains the user’s program files on a 32-bit device or the user’s 64-bit program files on a 64-bit device.

Typically C:\Program Files.

${ProgramFiles32}

File system directory that contains the user’s 32-bit program files on a 64-bit device. This file resolves to (typically) C:\Program Files on a 32-bit machine and resolves to C:\Program Files (x86) on a 64-bit machine.

On 32-bit devices, this file system directory returns the same as ${ProgramFiles}, so that you can use it to point to 32-bit programs irrespective of the platform.

For example:

On a device that has the 32 bit Office application installed, you can use the following path to refer Excel.exe:

${ProgramFiles32}\Microsoft Office\Office14\EXCEL.exe

The above path works on both 64 and 32-bit devices.

${ProgramFilesCommon}

File system directory that contains the program files shared by multiple applications. Typically C:\Program Files\Common Files.

${Public}

File system directory that has public access to all the users on the network.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Public.

${Recent}

File system directory that contains the user’s most recently used documents.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Recent.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Recent

${SendTo}

File system directory that contains Send To menu items.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\SendTo.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\SendTo

${StartMenu}

File system directory containing Start menu items.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Start Menu.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu.

${Startup}

File system directory that corresponds to the user’s Startup program group.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Startup.

${TempDir}

Windows temporary directory.

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Local Settings\Temp.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Local\Temp.

${Templates}

File system directory that serves as a common repository for document templates.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Templates.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Templates.

${UserProfile}

File system directory that contains the logged-in user’s profile.

On a Windows Server 2003 or Windows XP device, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username.

${WinDesktop}

Windows desktop directory

On a Windows Server 2003, it is typically C:\Documents and Settings\Username\Desktop.

On a Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, or Windows 7 device, it is typically C:\Users\Username\Desktop.

${WinDir}

Windows directory. Typically C:\WINDOWS.

${WinDisk}

Drive letter (plus colon) for the Windows directory. Typically C:.

${WinSysDir}

Windows system directory. Typically C:\WINDOWS\system32.

${WinSysDisk}

Drive letter (plus colon) for the Windows system directory. Typically C:.

NOTE:The values of PATH variable alone will be appended from both the user environment and the system variable. If values of variables other than PATH are defined in volatile, user environment and system variable, then the values in the volatile environment takes precedence over that of the system variable and the user variable.

If values of variables other than PATH are not defined in volatile environment variable, the values in the user environment variable take precedence over that of the system variable.