[FEATURE] Add Command to Set Environment Variable

[guibranco]

Description:

I would like to request a feature that adds a new command to a .NET tool project, allowing users to set environment variables via the command-line interface (CLI). The command should accept two arguments:

1. The variable value (required).
2. An optional target specifying where the variable should be set (User or Machine scope).

The tool should apply the environment variable to the appropriate scope based on the input.

Why is this needed?

This feature would allow users to easily set environment variables through a .NET CLI tool, simplifying environment setup, especially in CI/CD pipelines or automated scripts. Having the ability to specify the target (User or Machine) will give flexibility based on the user's needs.

Suggested Implementation:

• The command should set the environment variable for the current user or machine depending on the target specified.
• If no target is specified, the environment variable should be set for the current user by default.

Example Command Usage:

dotnet mytool set-env MY_VARIABLE=my_value --target User

If --target is not provided, it will default to User.

Example Code:

using System;
using Microsoft.Win32;

public class EnvVarSetter
{
    public static void SetEnvironmentVariable(string variable, string value, string target = "User")
    {
        EnvironmentVariableTarget envTarget;

        if (string.Equals(target, "Machine", StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase))
        {
            envTarget = EnvironmentVariableTarget.Machine;
        }
        else
        {
            envTarget = EnvironmentVariableTarget.User;
        }

        Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable(variable, value, envTarget);
        Console.WriteLine($"Environment variable '{variable}' set to '{value}' for {envTarget}.");
    }
}

// Usage example from the CLI
class Program
{
    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        if (args.Length < 1)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Usage: set-env VAR_NAME=value [--target User|Machine]");
            return;
        }

        string[] variableParts = args[0].Split('=');
        if (variableParts.Length != 2)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Invalid format. Please use VAR_NAME=value.");
            return;
        }

        string variableName = variableParts[0];
        string variableValue = variableParts[1];
        string target = args.Length > 1 && args[1].StartsWith("--target") ? args[1].Split('=')[1] : "User";

        EnvVarSetter.SetEnvironmentVariable(variableName, variableValue, target);
    }
}

Additional Context:

• This feature will only work on platforms where setting environment variables is allowed (e.g., Windows via EnvironmentVariableTarget).
• The default behavior is to set the environment variable for the current user if no target is provided.

[Tharanishwaran]

@guibranco can i work on this ?

[guibranco]

Hi @Tharanishwaran ,

Thanks for picking this up! 🙌
You have been assigned the issue.

If you have any questions or need clarification along the way, feel free to ask.

Good luck and happy coding! 😊

[Tharanishwaran]

Hi @guibranco ,
Thank you for assigning me! I'll start working on it and update you soon

[guibranco]

Hi @Tharanishwaran 👋,

I hope all is well! I wanted to check in on the progress of this issue, as we haven’t received any updates or a pull request from you in over two weeks ⏳.

Are you still working on this? If you encounter any blockers or need help, please feel free to reach out—we're here to support you 💪. If there’s no progress or response within the next week, we may need to unassign you from this issue to ensure it can be addressed on time 🔄.

Thank you for your attention to this, and I look forward to hearing from you soon! 😊

Best,

[Tharanishwaran]

Hi @guibranco,
I apologize for the delay in communication. Due to current commitments, I won't be able to work on this issue. Please feel free to assign it to someone else who can give it the attention it deserves.
Thank you for the opportunity and understanding.

[guibranco]

Thanks for letting me know @Tharanishwaran!

[gitauto-ai]

Hey, I'm a bit lost here! Not sure which file I should be fixing. Could you give me a bit more to go on? Maybe add some details to the issue or drop a comment with some extra hints? Thanks!

Have feedback or need help?
Feel free to email [email protected].

[gitauto-ai]

@guibranco Pull request completed! Check it out here #122 🚀

Note: I automatically create a pull request for an unassigned and open issue in order from oldest to newest once a day at 00:00 UTC, as long as you have remaining automation usage. Should you have any questions or wish to change settings or limits, please feel free to contact [email protected] or invite us to Slack Connect.

[bc2026]

Hey, do you need someone to work on this issue?

[guibranco]

Hi @bc2026 ,

Yes, sure, if you feel comfortable picking this up, I will assign it to you! 😊
If you have any questions or need clarification along the way, feel free to ask.

[nicholasptran]

I can take this

[guibranco]

Hi @nicholasptran👋,

Thanks for picking this up! 🙌
You have been assigned the issue.

If you have any questions or need clarification along the way, feel free to ask.

Good luck and happy coding! 😊

[nicholasptran]

@guibranco
Status update. I can start working on this next weekend.