DOS ain't dead

save & restore environment (Developers)

posted by Rugxulo , Usono, 28.02.2026, 03:18

> awk -f mkenvset.awk >envset.bat
> call helper.bat
> awk -f mkenvdel.awk >envdel.bat
> call envdel.bat
> call envset.bat
>
> This would effectively restore the original environment without using a
> COMMAND /C sub-shell.
>
> What do you think? Is it a bad idea? Why?

4DOS and NT's CMD both have "SETLOCAL". So if you don't need any vars to persist, try that.

If you insist on this way (presumably to run on older shells), I'd suggest putting it in a single .BAT like "SAVEENV.BAT [on | off]". The AWK scripts are small enough to be in-place, but even an embedded AWK script (or ten) is easy to use.

Complete thread:

• save & restore environment - bencollver, 28.02.2026, 00:52 (Developers)
  • save & restore environment - Rugxulo, 28.02.2026, 03:18
    • save & restore environment - bencollver, 28.02.2026, 04:26
      • save & restore environment - Rugxulo, 01.03.2026, 00:24
  • save & restore environment - boeckmann, 28.02.2026, 10:23
    • save & restore environment - bencollver, 28.02.2026, 15:20
      • save & restore environment - boeckmann, 28.02.2026, 19:26
        • save & restore environment - bencollver, 01.03.2026, 15:12
        • save & restore environment - bencollver, 08.03.2026, 00:45
          • save & restore environment - jadoxa, 08.03.2026, 01:39
            • save & restore environment - bencollver, 08.03.2026, 02:05
              • save & restore environment - boeckmann, 08.03.2026, 22:23
                • save & restore environment - boeckmann, 09.03.2026, 17:15
                  • save & restore environment - bencollver, 09.03.2026, 20:09