Compare environment variable scopes

Before you begin

• PowerShell 7 or later on Windows.
• Local Windows management information must be accessible.

Set up your example

1. Save the download as windows-environment-variable-names.ps1.
2. Open PowerShell 7 in the download folder.
3. Run pwsh -NoProfile -File ./windows-environment-variable-names.ps1 -Help, then inspect its parameter block.

This recipe uses your own local input or creates its own example output. Follow the setup steps below.

Download the ZIP, extract it, and open a terminal inside the extracted folder. The source file is windows-environment-variable-names.ps1.

Run the script

pwsh -NoProfile -File ./windows-environment-variable-names.ps1

If your system uses python3 instead of python, use that command for Python examples. Keep paths containing spaces in quotes. Required inputs and optional settings are described in the code and setup steps.

What to expect

The complete script

#Requires -Version 7.0
[CmdletBinding()]
param([switch]$Help,[switch]$AsJson)
$ErrorActionPreference='Stop'
if ($Help) { Write-Output 'Show variable names at Process, User, and Machine scope without exposing values. Use -AsJson for structured output.'; exit 0 }
function Show-Report { param([object]$Data) if ($AsJson) { ConvertTo-Json -InputObject @($Data) -Depth 8 } else { $Data | Format-Table -AutoSize | Out-String -Width 240 | Write-Output } }
try {
$sets=@{};foreach($scope in @('Process','User','Machine')){$sets[$scope]=[Environment]::GetEnvironmentVariables($scope)}
$names=@($sets.Values.Keys | Sort-Object -Unique)
$rows=foreach($name in $names){[pscustomobject]@{Name=$name;Process=$sets.Process.Contains($name);User=$sets.User.Contains($name);Machine=$sets.Machine.Contains($name)}}
Show-Report $rows

} catch { Write-Error $_.Exception.Message; exit 1 }

Open source as plain text · Download source and sample files

How it works

1. Show variable names at Process, User, and Machine scope without exposing values.
2. The script queries local Windows data and formats a snapshot without changing settings.
3. -AsJson changes presentation to JSON for comparison between runs.

Make it your own

Adjust the report

Change the scope list in foreach to compare only Process and User. Avoid adding secret values.

Capture JSON

Add -AsJson and redirect to a new unused filename. Shell redirection can overwrite an existing file, so choose a fresh name.

Change one setting at a time, run it again on sample data, and compare the output. The customization guide walks through this process.

If something goes wrong

Reference & next steps

• Microsoft PowerShell documentation ↗

These official references explain the underlying tools. The Scriptage example and guide are original instructional content. See verification notes for what has been checked and the limits of those checks.

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