Need batch file help during setup

How do I set the temp/tmp variables in a dos batch file to set this so I can my temporary files be on T:\Temp instead of C:\user\jtm_7\Onedrive in batch file to be used during right SIM creates Partitions ! THank you in advance JTM

First, I see from your screenshot that both tmp and temp are already set to T:\Temp, so are you SURE that your batch file is using the temp folder defined by those variables?

If not, I can offer suggestions, but in the meantime try this:

Place right near the start of your batch file these two lines:

set
pause

This will display all environment variables, including tmp and temp, then pause, and finally continue running the batch file when you press any key. If you need to change the variables location add lines like this:

set temp=T:\Temp
set tmp=T:\Temp

Note that this will only affect the current instance of cmd, it is not a permanent change to the global environment variables.

If that does not solve the issue, there is more we can explore. In that case, please describe why you want to use that specific location and what the batch file is doing. We can solve this relatively easily, I may just need a little more insight into what the batch file is doing.

Additional information:

One strategy I sometimes use in batch files is this:

pushd T:\Temp
your code that needs to write to T:\Temp
popd

The first line will change the current directory to T:\Temp and place the current directory in a stack. Now, if your code writes any files without specifying a specific location, for example, if it is reading from or writing to the current directory, it will use T:\Temp since that is the current directory.

After that, when it encounters the popd command, it will pull the original location from the stack and pop you back into that directory.

Note that if you are performing some operation that specifically looks for the value of either Temp or Tmp, this won't work.

Wow thats great thank you so much hsehestd

Rbcc said:

Wow thats great thank you so much hsehestd

Click to expand...

Just be sure to let me know if that does indeed help! If not, I would be happy to gather some more info to see if we can get this sorted out for you.

Now, how do I change the system variables from C: to T:\temp as in picture below?

Rbcc said:

Now, how do I change the system variables from C: to T:\temp as in picture below?

Click to expand...

Use the "set" command as noted in post #2 of this thread.

Do I repeat sets as in:
SET TEMP=T:\TEMP
SET TMP=T:\TEMP

SET TEMP=T:\TEMP
SET TMP=T:\TEMP

Rbcc said:

Do I repeat sets as in:
SET TEMP=T:\TEMP
SET TMP=T:\TEMP

SET TEMP=T:\TEMP
SET TMP=T:\TEMP

Click to expand...

There is no need to do it twice. Just use the first two lines you have shown a single time like this:

SET TEMP=T:\TEMP
SET TMP=T:\TEMP

Doing it a second time changes nothing.

The SET command simply sets a variable to a specific value. Once that variable is set, there is no need to set it a second time.

Hope this helps!

As I re-read my responses, I realized that I could have done a little more to explain this, so here goes:

TMP and TEMP are simply variables. These are special variables that are available system-wide, not just within the context of a single command prompt or batch file and are known as "environment variables".

Suppose now that some program wants to save something to your TEMPorary location. That program can simply check to see what TEMP is set to obtain that location.

If we change the location of the TEMP variable within a batch file, for example, by using the command "set TEMP=T:\Temp", then if something in your batch files checks to see what TEMP is set to, it will be handed the value that you set, in this example, T:\Temp. As was noted earlier, this affects only that instance of the batch file. If you end the batch file and then open a new command prompt or run a new batch file, that new batch file will inherit the value from the environment variables. Put another way, it will see TEMP as being equal to what is set in the Environment Variables.

Bear in mind that all this assumes that whatever you are running actually checks to see what TEMP (or TMP) is set to. If your batch file does not check this, this this whole discussion is moot.

Please do let me know if you need any further help!

Replacing SET with SETX, will make a permanent change in environment variables. You can always reset the values when your install script has completed.
setx

For your user profile:

For the SYSTEM profile (requires Admin rights):

Two things that used to be true in earlier versions of Windows when installing programs is that the Virtual Memory/swapfile/pagefile was set to a minimum of 2GB and that the Temp folder was located on an internal drive, not a removable or Network drive. I've not had issues with Win10 or Win11 using their default settings.

Berton said:

Two things that used to be true in earlier versions of Windows when installing programs is that the Virtual Memory/swapfile/pagefile was set to a minimum of 2GB and that the Temp folder was located on an internal drive, not a removable or Network drive. I've not had issues with Win10 or Win11 using their default settings.

Click to expand...

Typically the primary pagefile is on the same device as booted Windows, so when you BSOD -- the memory dump can be saved to a dependable (always there) location. Removable or network drives aren't considered dependable in this context.

@garlin: What does the /m do in the setx line? JTM