Environment Class

Definition

Namespace:
System
Assemblies:
mscorlib.dll, System.Runtime.Extensions.dll
Assemblies:
netstandard.dll, System.Runtime.dll
Assembly:
System.Runtime.Extensions.dll
Assembly:
mscorlib.dll
Assembly:
netstandard.dll
Source:
Environment.cs
Source:
Environment.cs
Source:
Environment.cs
Source:
Environment.cs
Source:
Environment.cs

Provides information about, and means to manipulate, the current environment and platform. This class cannot be inherited.

public ref class Environment abstract sealed
public ref class Environment sealed
public static class Environment
public sealed class Environment
[System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComVisible(true)]
public static class Environment
type Environment = class
[<System.Runtime.InteropServices.ComVisible(true)>]
type Environment = class
Public Class Environment
Public NotInheritable Class Environment
Inheritance
Object
Environment
Attributes
ComVisibleAttribute

Examples

The following example displays a list of information about the current environment.

// Sample for Environment class summary
using System;
using System.Collections;

class Sample
{
    public static void Main()
    {
        string str;
        string nl = Environment.NewLine;
        //
        Console.WriteLine();
        Console.WriteLine("-- Environment members --");

        //  Invoke this sample with an arbitrary set of command line arguments.
        Console.WriteLine("CommandLine: {0}", Environment.CommandLine);

        string[] arguments = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs();
        Console.WriteLine("GetCommandLineArgs: {0}", String.Join(", ", arguments));

        //  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
        Console.WriteLine("CurrentDirectory: {0}", Environment.CurrentDirectory);

        Console.WriteLine("ExitCode: {0}", Environment.ExitCode);

        Console.WriteLine("HasShutdownStarted: {0}", Environment.HasShutdownStarted);

        //  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
        Console.WriteLine("MachineName: {0}", Environment.MachineName);

        Console.WriteLine("NewLine: {0}  first line{0}  second line{0}  third line",
                              Environment.NewLine);

        Console.WriteLine("OSVersion: {0}", Environment.OSVersion.ToString());

        Console.WriteLine("StackTrace: '{0}'", Environment.StackTrace);

        //  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
        Console.WriteLine("SystemDirectory: {0}", Environment.SystemDirectory);

        Console.WriteLine("TickCount: {0}", Environment.TickCount);

        //  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
        Console.WriteLine("UserDomainName: {0}", Environment.UserDomainName);

        Console.WriteLine("UserInteractive: {0}", Environment.UserInteractive);

        //  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
        Console.WriteLine("UserName: {0}", Environment.UserName);

        Console.WriteLine("Version: {0}", Environment.Version.ToString());

        Console.WriteLine("WorkingSet: {0}", Environment.WorkingSet);

        //  No example for Exit(exitCode) because doing so would terminate this example.

        //  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
        string query = "My system drive is %SystemDrive% and my system root is %SystemRoot%";
        str = Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables(query);
        Console.WriteLine("ExpandEnvironmentVariables: {0}  {1}", nl, str);

        Console.WriteLine("GetEnvironmentVariable: {0}  My temporary directory is {1}.", nl,
                               Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("TEMP"));

        Console.WriteLine("GetEnvironmentVariables: ");
        IDictionary environmentVariables = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariables();
        foreach (DictionaryEntry de in environmentVariables)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("  {0} = {1}", de.Key, de.Value);
        }

        Console.WriteLine("GetFolderPath: {0}",
                     Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.System));

        string[] drives = Environment.GetLogicalDrives();
        Console.WriteLine("GetLogicalDrives: {0}", String.Join(", ", drives));
    }
}
/*
This example produces results similar to the following:
(Any result that is lengthy or reveals information that should remain
secure has been omitted and marked "!---OMITTED---!".)

C:\>env0 ARBITRARY TEXT

-- Environment members --
CommandLine: env0 ARBITRARY TEXT
GetCommandLineArgs: env0, ARBITRARY, TEXT
CurrentDirectory: C:\Documents and Settings\!---OMITTED---!
ExitCode: 0
HasShutdownStarted: False
MachineName: !---OMITTED---!
NewLine:
  first line
  second line
  third line
OSVersion: Microsoft Windows NT 5.1.2600.0
StackTrace: '   at System.Environment.GetStackTrace(Exception e)
   at System.Environment.GetStackTrace(Exception e)
   at System.Environment.get_StackTrace()
   at Sample.Main()'
SystemDirectory: C:\WINNT\System32
TickCount: 17995355
UserDomainName: !---OMITTED---!
UserInteractive: True
UserName: !---OMITTED---!
Version: !---OMITTED---!
WorkingSet: 5038080
ExpandEnvironmentVariables:
  My system drive is C: and my system root is C:\WINNT
GetEnvironmentVariable:
  My temporary directory is C:\DOCUME~1\!---OMITTED---!\LOCALS~1\Temp.
GetEnvironmentVariables:
  !---OMITTED---!
GetFolderPath: C:\WINNT\System32
GetLogicalDrives: A:\, C:\, D:\

*/

// Sample for Environment class summary
open System
open System.Collections

let nl = Environment.NewLine

printfn ""
printfn "-- Environment members --"

//  Invoke this sample with an arbitrary set of command line arguments.
printfn $"CommandLine: {Environment.CommandLine}"

Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()
|> String.concat ", "
|> printfn "GetCommandLineArgs: %s"

//  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
printfn $"CurrentDirectory: {Environment.CurrentDirectory}"

printfn $"ExitCode: {Environment.ExitCode}"

printfn $"HasShutdownStarted: {Environment.HasShutdownStarted}"

//  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
printfn $"MachineName: {Environment.MachineName}"

printfn $"NewLine: {nl}  first line{nl}  second line{nl}  third line"

printfn $"OSVersion: {Environment.OSVersion}"

printfn $"StackTrace: '{Environment.StackTrace}'"

//  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
printfn $"SystemDirectory: {Environment.SystemDirectory}"

printfn $"TickCount: {Environment.TickCount}"

//  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
printfn $"UserDomainName: {Environment.UserDomainName}"

printfn $"UserInteractive: {Environment.UserInteractive}"

//  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
printfn $"UserName: {Environment.UserName}"

printfn $"Version: {Environment.Version}"

printfn $"WorkingSet: {Environment.WorkingSet}"

//  No example for Exit(exitCode) because doing so would terminate this example.

//  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
let query = "My system drive is %SystemDrive% and my system root is %SystemRoot%"
let str = Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables query
printfn $"ExpandEnvironmentVariables: {nl}  {str}"

printfn $"""GetEnvironmentVariable: {nl}  My temporary directory is {Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable "TEMP"}."""

printfn "GetEnvironmentVariables: "
let environmentVariables = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariables()
for de in environmentVariables do
    let de = de :?> DictionaryEntry
    printfn $"  {de.Key} = {de.Value}"

printfn $"GetFolderPath: {Environment.GetFolderPath Environment.SpecialFolder.System}"

Environment.GetLogicalDrives()
|> String.concat ", "
|> printfn "GetLogicalDrives: %s"

// This example produces results similar to the following:
//     (Any result that is lengthy or reveals information that should remain
//     secure has been omitted and marked "!---OMITTED---!".)
//     
//     C:\>env0 ARBITRARY TEXT
//     
//     -- Environment members --
//     CommandLine: env0 ARBITRARY TEXT
//     GetCommandLineArgs: env0, ARBITRARY, TEXT
//     CurrentDirectory: C:\Documents and Settings\!---OMITTED---!
//     ExitCode: 0
//     HasShutdownStarted: False
//     MachineName: !---OMITTED---!
//     NewLine:
//       first line
//       second line
//       third line
//     OSVersion: Microsoft Windows NT 5.1.2600.0
//     StackTrace: '   at System.Environment.GetStackTrace(Exception e)
//        at System.Environment.GetStackTrace(Exception e)
//        at System.Environment.get_StackTrace()
//        at Sample.Main()'
//     SystemDirectory: C:\WINNT\System32
//     TickCount: 17995355
//     UserDomainName: !---OMITTED---!
//     UserInteractive: True
//     UserName: !---OMITTED---!
//     Version: !---OMITTED---!
//     WorkingSet: 5038080
//     ExpandEnvironmentVariables:
//       My system drive is C: and my system root is C:\WINNT
//     GetEnvironmentVariable:
//       My temporary directory is C:\DOCUME~1\!---OMITTED---!\LOCALS~1\Temp.
//     GetEnvironmentVariables:
//       !---OMITTED---!
//     GetFolderPath: C:\WINNT\System32
//     GetLogicalDrives: A:\, C:\, D:\

' Sample for Environment class summary
Imports System.Collections

Class Sample
   Public Shared Sub Main()
      Dim str As [String]
      Dim nl As [String] = Environment.NewLine
      '
      Console.WriteLine()
      Console.WriteLine("-- Environment members --")
      
      '  Invoke this sample with an arbitrary set of command line arguments.
      Console.WriteLine("CommandLine: {0}", Environment.CommandLine)
      
      Dim arguments As [String]() = Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()
      Console.WriteLine("GetCommandLineArgs: {0}", [String].Join(", ", arguments))
      
      '  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
      Console.WriteLine("CurrentDirectory: {0}", Environment.CurrentDirectory)
      
      Console.WriteLine("ExitCode: {0}", Environment.ExitCode)
      
      Console.WriteLine("HasShutdownStarted: {0}", Environment.HasShutdownStarted)
      
      '  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
      Console.WriteLine("MachineName: {0}", Environment.MachineName)
      
      Console.WriteLine("NewLine: {0}  first line{0}  second line{0}" & _
                        "  third line", Environment.NewLine)
      
      Console.WriteLine("OSVersion: {0}", Environment.OSVersion.ToString())
      
      Console.WriteLine("StackTrace: '{0}'", Environment.StackTrace)
      
      '  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
      Console.WriteLine("SystemDirectory: {0}", Environment.SystemDirectory)
      
      Console.WriteLine("TickCount: {0}", Environment.TickCount)
      
      '  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
      Console.WriteLine("UserDomainName: {0}", Environment.UserDomainName)
      
      Console.WriteLine("UserInteractive: {0}", Environment.UserInteractive)
      
      '  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
      Console.WriteLine("UserName: {0}", Environment.UserName)
      
      Console.WriteLine("Version: {0}", Environment.Version.ToString())
      
      Console.WriteLine("WorkingSet: {0}", Environment.WorkingSet)
      
      '  No example for Exit(exitCode) because doing so would terminate this example.

      '  <-- Keep this information secure! -->
      Dim query As [String] = "My system drive is %SystemDrive% and my" & _
                              " system root is %SystemRoot%"
      str = Environment.ExpandEnvironmentVariables(query)
      Console.WriteLine("ExpandEnvironmentVariables: {0}  {1}", nl, str)
      
      Console.WriteLine("GetEnvironmentVariable: {0}  My temporary directory is {1}.", _
                        nl, Environment.GetEnvironmentVariable("TEMP"))
      
      Console.WriteLine("GetEnvironmentVariables: ")
      Dim environmentVariables As IDictionary = Environment.GetEnvironmentVariables()
      Dim de As DictionaryEntry
      For Each de In environmentVariables
         Console.WriteLine("  {0} = {1}", de.Key, de.Value)
      Next de
      
      Console.WriteLine("GetFolderPath: {0}", _
              Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.System))
      
      Dim drives As [String]() = Environment.GetLogicalDrives()
      Console.WriteLine("GetLogicalDrives: {0}", [String].Join(", ", drives))
   End Sub
End Class
'
'This example produces results similar to the following:
'(Any result that is lengthy or reveals information that should remain 
'secure has been omitted and marked "!---OMITTED---!".)
'
'C:\>env0 ARBITRARY TEXT
'
'-- Environment members --
'CommandLine: env0 ARBITRARY TEXT
'GetCommandLineArgs: env0, ARBITRARY, TEXT
'CurrentDirectory: C:\Documents and Settings\!---OMITTED---!
'ExitCode: 0
'HasShutdownStarted: False
'MachineName: !---OMITTED---!
'NewLine:
'  first line
'  second line
'  third line
'OSVersion: Microsoft Windows NT 5.1.2600.0
'StackTrace: '   at System.Environment.GetStackTrace(Exception e)
'   at System.Environment.GetStackTrace(Exception e)
'   at System.Environment.get_StackTrace()
'   at Sample.Main()'
'SystemDirectory: C:\WINNT\System32
'TickCount: 17995355
'UserDomainName: !---OMITTED---!
'UserInteractive: True
'UserName: !---OMITTED---!
'Version: !---OMITTED---!
'WorkingSet: 5038080
'ExpandEnvironmentVariables:
'  My system drive is C: and my system root is C:\WINNT
'GetEnvironmentVariable:
'  My temporary directory is C:\DOCUME~1\!---OMITTED---!\LOCALS~1\Temp.
'GetEnvironmentVariables: 
'  !---OMITTED---!
'GetFolderPath: C:\WINNT\System32
'GetLogicalDrives: A:\, C:\, D:\
'

Remarks

Use the Environment class to retrieve information such as command-line arguments, the exit code, environment variable settings, contents of the call stack, time since last system boot, and the version of the common language runtime.

Properties

Name Description
CommandLine

Gets the command line for this process.
CpuUsage

Get the CPU usage, including the process time spent running the application code, the process time spent running the operating system code, and the total time spent running both the application and operating system code.
CurrentDirectory

Gets or sets the fully qualified path of the current working directory.
CurrentManagedThreadId

Gets a unique identifier for the current managed thread.