Most users of modern computer systems have no idea that Windows has so-called environment variables. What is this, many do not understand, although they encounter it almost every day. Let's try to fill this gap, especially since there is nothing complicated in the definition of this term.
What are Windows environment variables ?
In order to fully realize what this system tool is, the most important thing should be indicated. In simple terms, this is a means of storing temporary files that can appear in the system when running some programs or when surfing the Internet.
But if you look deeper, we can say that in this case the user is dealing not so much with the folders in which temporary objects are stored, but with the path to the directories in which such data is located.
It is believed that environment variables are configured by default in such a way that they do not need to be specified with an absolute path, since directories are hidden. Typically, TMP and TEMP directories are used for temporary files and folders. It is they who act as environmental variables.
Many, for sure, know that the same TEMP folder is available both in the main directory of the system and in the local user data settings (Local Settings directory). As mentioned above, these objects are hidden, and in order to see them in the "Explorer" or in any other file manager, you should enable the display of such objects in the view menu.
Using the primary operator
However, this is not necessary at all, since any Windows system has a special tool that allows you to search or navigate to hidden folders.
This is the operator indicated by the percent sign (%). Thus, to find the desired object, you just need to mark it with this symbol in the search query at the beginning and at the end of the query. For example, for the TEMP directory, the search term looks like% TEMP%. Moreover, if the search is performed on all local disks or in disk partitions, the results will display all objects that match the entered name.
Windows 7 or later environment variables: setting options
Now a few words about the settings. Windows 10 or system environment variables of a lower rank can be configured using the right-click context menu on the computer icon with a choice of properties.
After that, the transition to additional parameters. In the window below there is a special button with the same name ("Environment Variables"), when clicked, the user enters the settings section. In principle, here you can not change anything unnecessarily.
Changes or additional settings may be required only if some specific software is installed, such as the JAVA SDK, when the system is not able to automatically set the required parameters.
Here you will have to specify the path to the temporary storage used by the package, exclusively in manual mode.
Possible problems and methods of their elimination
Unfortunately, if the environment variables are set incorrectly or the temporary folders contain too many objects, programmatic failures can occur, for example, the inability to install OS updates.
What is most sad, the system itself does not have a tool for automatically cleaning temporary directories. Therefore, in the best case, optimizer programs should be used. If those are not installed on the computer, you will have to clean the folders manually.
In a sense, the use of optimizers seems more justified, since along the way they clear the cache of the web browser and the cache of recently used applications. And some are even able to unload system processes from RAM, which is also important.
And in most cases, only after that it will become possible to search and install system updates in automatic mode. If the folders are filled to capacity, even a manual search with attempts to subsequently integrate updates into the system will not lead to anything.
Conclusion
As you can see, the concept of variable environments is not so complicated as it might seem to many at the beginning. The most important thing is to clearly understand why temporary file directories are needed, how to access them, or even just find them on a computer. If there is a problem with manual adjustment of specialized parameters, in general, there is nothing complicated here, because you just have to specify the correct path, and you can do this using the directory browse button.
Well, it goes without saying that the system must be kept clean and tidy, periodically clearing up accumulated computer debris. As already clear, in order not to do this manually, it is best to use special optimizer utilities. Thus, you can not only clean the system, but even increase its performance.