Modifying Environment Variables

Environment variables are key-data pairs that are stored in the environment block of each program that runs under Windows. They are most often used by console programs (i.e., programs designed to run inside a command prompt window, rather than with their own graphical user interface), but are accessible to other programs as well.

Tarma Installer has a full complement of environment variable editing functions, including the ability to selectively replace or append existing variables on the customer's computer. Environment variables are automatically installed and removed with the rest of your application, and Tarma Installer's Setup program is smart enough to remove only the parts that you added to appended environment variables.

Note - Windows 9x and Windows NT use different methods to store system-wide environment variables. Refer to Advanced - Environment in the online help for a discussion of these differences and their implications.

How to specify environment variable modifications

To specify environment variable modifications with Tarma Installer, act as follows.

1. Select the Advanced - Environment page by clicking on its bullet in the Navigation area.
2. Right-click anywhere in the Environment variables list to open its context menu.
3. On the context menu that appears, choose Insert Variable.

4. Tarma Installer creates a new Unnamed environment variable. In its Environment variable settings pane, set the following options:

   • Name - Enter the variable name. It may not contain spaces, tabs, or the '=' character.
   • Value - Enter the text value associated with the variable. Use %name% to specify substitutions performed by Windows, or <variable> to insert project variables that are substituted by Tarma Installer.
   • If exists - Choose the appropriate option. Refer to Environment Variable settings in the online help for details.
   • Separator - Enter the separator character to be used if you selected Append using separator in the previous field. If you leave this field blank, no separator is used.
   • Platforms - Check the appropriate target platforms.
5. Repeat steps 2-4 as required for other environment variables.