Environment variable by Process

[toofewacres]

I am trying to get an environment variable from a process and am struggling with how to get the variable specific to a Windows handle.

I know the handle from WinList, but I need to change to each handle and get the value of a environment variable labeled %SAInstance% that is set internal to the process as it starts up. 

EnvGet seems to only get System and User variables that are common to the entire system, not process specific ones. I'm sure there is a way, but I'm just not figuring it out.

Thanks

 

[Earthshine]

those are created by some batch file. so probably not. have to test. Visual Studio has batch files for loading their build environment. I will test and see if I can pick up those (while the app is running)

i am willing to test if you provide me some test code. i don't want to write it for you and I am sure you don't want that either.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Earthshine

[Earthshine]

#include <MsgBoxConstants.au3>

Example()

Func Example()
    ; Retrieve the value of the environment variable %APPDATA%.
    ; When you assign or retrieve an envorinment variable you do so minus the percentage signs (%).
;~  ShellExecute("C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\2017\Professional\Common7\Tools\VsDevCmd.bat")
    Local $sEnvVar = EnvGet("VS120COMNTOOLS")

    ; Display the value of the environment variable %APPDATA%.
    MsgBox($MB_SYSTEMMODAL, "", "The environment variable %VS120COMNTOOLS% has the value of: " & @CRLF & @CRLF & $sEnvVar) ; This returns the same value as the macro @AppDataDir does.
EndFunc   ;==>Example

results in: so it does read the ones set up by other apps. if those are set at runtime, then you would need to find a way to read those. run the script after those have been loaded I guess. but AutoIt is having trouble reading all of them, so maybe you are onto something.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Earthshine

[Earthshine]

so this is how you want to do it because apps or bat files may be involved at runtime. read the stdout

https://www.autoitscript.com/autoit3/docs/functions/StdoutRead.htm

search through your array after for the information you need. Once for each app. run it, and take that handle and hook the stdout and see it there in other words.

Edited February 6, 2018 by Earthshine

[Earthshine]

one more way is to get the process and look at it's command line. you can tell what everything resolves to there.

[toofewacres]

Yes, that works for Environment variables that are set at system level. I have a application that sets Environment variables for each instance that it runs. I can run Process Explorer and see the variables for each instance that it runs. (see jpg attached) The variable SAInstance is not available at a "Set" command at a cmd window.  I have code that is the same idea as what you provided, but it cannot read "SAInstance" 

I need something like https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms683187(v=vs.85).aspx which is getting over me head...

 

[Earthshine]

Get a handle to each process that you’re interested in and look at it’s command line and all your data will be there

[toofewacres]

Also, the app that runs sets the variables during startup, but there is no output to console. I can internal to the app run a VBScript that will open as a child of the app and I can read the variable and then write it out to a text file. So I just need to figure out how to get to specific process environment space and read the variable from there...

 

[toofewacres]

Ok, I can get the handle by using WinList("App.name"). Once I have the handle, now what do I do?

 

[BrewManNH]

Try here, not AutoIt but if you're savvy you can figure it out.

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5470698/read-environment-variables-from-a-process-in-c-sharp

https://stackoverflow.com/questions/5454667/how-to-get-the-process-environment-block-peb-from-extern-process

[Earthshine]

14 minutes ago, toofewacres said:

Also, the app that runs sets the variables during startup, but there is no output to console. I can internal to the app run a VBScript that will open as a child of the app and I can read the variable and then write it out to a text file. So I just need to figure out how to get to specific process environment space and read the variable from there...

 

I’ll post back tomorrow with code

Edited February 6, 2018 by Earthshine

[toofewacres]

Thanks for Info. I found these too. But, I'm not that deep into programming, so this went over my head in a hurry. 

[toofewacres]

I found this info but don't know how to take advantage of it. It's beyond my knowledge base...

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.diagnostics.processstartinfo.environmentvariables(v=vs.110).aspx

 

[Earthshine]

so, in task manager, can you enable the command line column and post back what it finds for, say, 3 processes you care about. post the command line of each and let's see if your info is there before coding.

[Earthshine]

the code in that link will display all running processes in an array. column 9 is the command line for each. run that and see if you can see your variables in the command line column

[toofewacres]

No, the variable info is not in the command line.

Here's what the command line says...

"C:\Program Files\Autodesk\Moldflow Synergy 2018.2\bin\synergy.exe" "T:\PROJECTS\GM\T1XX\Door\Moldflow\CAE 10835\Analysis\Cadillac Coreback\Rear_LWB_Coreback\Rear LWB Coreback.mpi"

The.mpi file is basically a CAD file that is opened with the synergy.exe

 

[toofewacres]

I still haven't figured this one out..I can get the Windows handle, ProgID, and the CLSID for the running process (which is started outside of Autoit), but I can't seem to figure out how to read the Environment variables for that particular process instead of the system wide variables.

Any help from anybody? 

[toofewacres]

Has anyone implemented anything like what is found in this link?

https://www.codeproject.com/Articles/25647/Read-Environment-Strings-of-Remote-Process

This is basically what I am looking for so that I can read a specific variable in a specific process.

 

[Subz]

Have you tried:

 

[toofewacres]

Subz, thanks for the input. I looked at that example and it only looks at system Enviroment variable, not process specific. But, the code might be a help if I can figure out how to point to the process specific PEB and understand what format it is in..(ANSI,OEM, etc is confusing me)

I found this info: https://sites.google.com/site/ascend4ntscode/processfunctions and I am trying to figure out the PEB address stuff. I think I am able to grab the block from the process I want but I'm not sure what to do with the output from the  _ProcessUDGetPEB() yet. still digging..I just don't grasp the pointers, extracting variables from the block, etc. yet.

I think I am getting closer, but it's a stretch for me from an experience standpoint...it's a far reach from simple macros, etc. !!

 

Edited February 18, 2018 by toofewacres
added more info