# Windows ENV object being corrupted **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [August 11, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605 "2009-08-11T23:07:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hermans)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 11:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605/1 "2009-08-11T23:07:22Z")
I am running in rake ( I have reproduced the problem with a straight ruby script ) and I read in a batch file that has a few hundred environment variables in it. At some magic point when 323 entries are made to the ENV object, suddenly the ENV object gets corrupted. Suddenly the adds don’t seem to take and later a bunch of my Environment variables go missing. The “local\_copy” hash does seem to hold but it isn’t what I need. ``` environment.split("\n").each() do |pair| splitpos = pair.index('=') if ! splitpos.nil? key = pair.slice(0, splitpos) splitpos += 1 value = pair.slice(splitpos, pair.length() - splitpos) end if ( ! key.nil? && ! value.nil?) key.strip! value.strip! verbose( ENV.size().to_s() + " -> ENV[#{key}] = " + ``` value, 1) ENV[key] = value.dup; local\_copy[key] = value.dup; else verbose(“Nil value found. Input String: #{pair}”, 5) end end output: … 322 -\> ENV[MAS\_REV] = 2 323 -\> ENV[MAS\_VER] = 1.03c 324 -\> ENV[MeetingCenterApp] = C:\Program Files\Meeting Center 324 -\> ENV[MINIBOOST\_INC] = F:\source\iie\trunk\external\_libs\windows\_32\3rdparty\spirit-1.8.4\miniboost 325 -\> ENV[MYSQL\_DEB\_LIB\_LOC] = F:\source\iie\trunk\external\_libs\windows\_32\3rdparty\mysql\4.1.16\rev1\shared\debug\win32\_mtdll 326 -\> ENV[MYSQL\_DEB\_PRODUCT\_NAME] = libmysqld … 363 -\> ENV[US\_COM\_DRS\_INC] = F:\source\iie\trunk\external\_libs\windows\_32\USCommercialDRS\DRS\10.01.03.M\Non-Dongled 364 -\> ENV[US\_COM\_DRS\_LIB\_LOC] = F:\source\iie\trunk\external\_libs\windows\_32\USCommercialDRS\DRS\10.01.03.M\Non-Dongled 31 -\> ENV[US\_COM\_DRS\_PRODUCT\_NAME] = POSTAL32 Anyone every ran into this before? ---
**Author:** ![hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hermans)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605/2 "2009-08-11T23:52:36Z")
Herman S. wrote: > I am running in rake ( I have reproduced the problem with a straight > ruby script ) and I read in a batch file that has a few hundred > environment variables in it. At some magic point when 323 entries are > made to the ENV object, suddenly the ENV object gets corrupted. > Suddenly the adds don’t seem to take and later a bunch of my Environment > variables go missing. This appears to be related to spaces in the value strings. As a Hack I removed any Env value that had a space, which happens to work for me now, but I still can’t wrap my head around why size plays a factor. ---
**Author:** ![hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hermans)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:44am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605/3 "2009-08-12T09:44:51Z")
2009/8/11 Herman S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > now, but I still can’t wrap my head around why size plays a factor. > I cannot either but this is due to the fact that I am missing > information in your original posting. For example, what is the format > of the “batch file” are you reading? What does variable “environment” > contain? robert ---
**Author:** ![hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hermans)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605/4 "2009-08-12T17:01:16Z")
Robert K. wrote: > 2009/8/11 Herman S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > > > now, but I still can’t wrap my head around why size plays a factor. > > I cannot either but this is due to the fact that I am missing > > information in your original posting. For example, what is the format > > of the “batch file” are you reading? What does variable “environment” > > contain? > > robert What I do is write the output from ‘set’ on windows to a ruby string like this: environment = `call setEnvironment.bat;set` setEnvironment.bat is just a bunch of environment sets i.e.: SET LINK\_PLATFORM=windows\_32 The environment variables that were giving me trouble come from the system Ones like: ALLUSERSPROFILE=C:\Documents and Settings\All Users So I get the sense that spaces are the issue, I believe that quoting variables with spaces would probably solve the issue but I haven’t tried it yet. ---
**Author:** ![hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hermans)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 9:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605/5 "2009-08-12T21:40:49Z")
On 12.08.2009 18:17, Robert K. wrote: > And what is your aim, i.e. what do you want to achieve? If you want > to set environment variables for your Ruby script, you could easily do > this instead: > > File.foreach “setEnvironment.bat” do |line| > if /^\s\*([^\s=]+)\s\*=\s\*(.\*)$/ =~ line > ENV[$1] = $2 > end > end Pardon, should have been File.foreach “setEnvironment.bat” do |line| if /^\s_SET\s_([^\s=]+)\s\*=\s\*(.\*)$/i =~ line ENV[$1] = $2 end end Cheers robert ---
**Author:** ![hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hermans)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 11:00pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605/6 "2009-08-12T23:00:54Z")
Robert K. wrote: > 2009/8/12 Herman S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > > > So I get the sense that spaces are the issue, I believe that quoting > > variables with spaces would probably solve the issue but I haven’t tried > > it yet. > > And what is your aim, i.e. what do you want to achieve? If you want > to set environment variables for your Ruby script, you could easily do > this instead: > > File.foreach “setEnvironment.bat” do |line| > if /^\s\*([^\s=]+)\s\*=\s\*(.\*)$/ =~ line > ENV[$1] = $2 > end > end > > and be done. Your approach looks suspiciously complicated to me. Of > course I may be missing something… > > Kind regards > > robert Thanks, Robert. I can’t argue your approach isn’t simpler. In fact, I can’t remember why we ended up with this. All we really want is the same environment that the build system uses available for test and publishing systems. Your suggestion is noted. However, the problem with ENV still exists. The problem with spaces and large numbers of environment variables. It’s just not in my way anymore. When I get a chance I will use your approach and see if I can re-create the problem from just parsing the setEnvironment.bat. Thanks, again. ---
**Author:** ![hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hermans)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2009, 6:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605/7 "2009-08-12T18:18:15Z")
2009/8/12 Herman S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > So I get the sense that spaces are the issue, I believe that quoting > variables with spaces would probably solve the issue but I haven’t tried > it yet. And what is your aim, i.e. what do you want to achieve? If you want to set environment variables for your Ruby script, you could easily do this instead: File.foreach “setEnvironment.bat” do |line| if /^\s\*([^\s=]+)\s\*=\s\*(.\*)$/ =~ line ENV[$1] = $2 end end and be done. Your approach looks suspiciously complicated to me. Of course I may be missing something… Kind regards robert ---
**Author:** ![hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hermans)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2009, 12:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605/8 "2009-08-13T12:18:14Z")
2009/8/12 Herman S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > > this instead: > > Thanks, Robert. Â I can’t argue your approach isn’t simpler. Â In fact, I > > can’t remember why we ended up with this. All we really want is the same > > environment that the build system uses available for test and publishing > > systems. Â Your suggestion is noted. > > However, the problem with ENV still exists. Â The problem with spaces and > large numbers of environment variables. Â It’s just not in my way > anymore. Â When I get a chance I will use your approach and see if I can > re-create the problem from just parsing the setEnvironment.bat. I was curious and created the test attached but could not provoke any issues with spaces. I am pretty sure that the size of the environment is limited somehow but I did not hit a limit or any issues with my test (at 36,000 and still running). What’s going on here? robert ---
**Author:** ![hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/h/f07891/32.png) [@hermans](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/hermans)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/windows-env-object-being-corrupted/173605/9 "2009-08-21T17:13:20Z")
Robert K. wrote: > 2009/8/12 Herman S. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > > > > this instead: > > > Thanks, Robert. Â I can’t argue your approach isn’t simpler. Â In fact, I > > > can’t remember why we ended up with this. All we really want is the same > > > environment that the build system uses available for test and publishing > > > systems. Â Your suggestion is noted. > > > > However, the problem with ENV still exists. Â The problem with spaces and > > large numbers of environment variables. Â It’s just not in my way > > anymore. Â When I get a chance I will use your approach and see if I can > > re-create the problem from just parsing the setEnvironment.bat. > > I was curious and created the test attached but could not provoke any > issues with spaces. I am pretty sure that the size of the environment > is limited somehow but I did not hit a limit or any issues with my > test (at 36,000 and still running). > > What’s going on here? > > robert I had chance to get and try your routine. I think the author of this code was trying to get around a recursive problem namely that environment variables are comprised of one or more environment variables. Once I added a routine to resolve this issue I have run without incident. def resolve\_variables( field ) ``` value = field value.strip! replace = "" verbose( "In Value = " + value , 5) if value =~ /%(\w+)%/ value.gsub!(/%(\w+)%/) do found = $1 replace = found.gsub("%","") replace = ENV[replace] if replace.nil? abort("??Error: Use of undefined Environment Variable ``` #{found} in #{field}") end verbose("Rep = " + replace, 5) verbose( "Val = " + value , 5) replace end verbose( "Val = " + value , 4) end verbose( "Return → " + value , 4) return value end ``` File.foreach env_batch_file do |line| if /^\s*SET\s*([^\s=]+)\s*=\s*(.*)$/i =~ line key = $1 value = resolve_variables($2) verbose("ENV[" + key + "] = " + value, 1) ENV[key] = value end end ```