Retrieves the environment variables for the current process.

Syntax

LPTCH WINAPI GetEnvironmentStrings(void);

Parameters

Return Value

If the function succeeds, the return value is a pointer to the environment block of the current process.

If the function fails, the return value is NULL.

Remarks

The GetEnvironmentStrings function returns a pointer to a block of memory that contains the environment variables of the calling process (both the system and the user environment variables). Each environment block contains the environment variables in the following format:

Var1=Value1\0

Var2=Value2\0

Var3=Value3\0

...

VarN=ValueN\0\0

Treat this memory as read-only; do not modify it directly. To add or change an environment variable, use the GetEnvironmentVariable and SetEnvironmentVariable functions.

When the block returned by GetEnvironmentStrings is no longer needed, it should be freed by calling the FreeEnvironmentStrings function.

Note that the ANSI version of this function, GetEnvironmentStringsA, returns OEM characters.

Examples

For an example, see Changing Environment Variables.

Requirements

See Also

Environment Variables
FreeEnvironmentStrings
GetEnvironmentVariable
SetEnvironmentVariable

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Build date: 11/6/2008