Using environment variables in a wmi query

Question

Hello
I'm trying to use WMI Queries on Group Policy Preferences to targeting computers on my network.
I have a file named testfile.txt in Windows directory and I check its last modified date to replace the policy files if the date is older of than current file.
I set this query : Select * from CIM_DataFile where Name='C:\\Windows\\testfile.txt' and LastModified<'20140910145110.821214+180'.
The replace action occurs on all machines where windows directory is 'C:\Windows\'. But there are machines on network where windows is installed on directory 'C:\Windows7'.
So I was thinking to use %WindowsDir% environment variable in the WMI query to ckeck testfile.txt date on the correct directory where windows is installed.
I've tried different ways to use this environment variable in WMI query with no success (For example: Select * from CIM_DataFile where Name='%WindowsDir%\\testfile.txt' and LastModified<'20140910145110.821214+180').
Can someone help me with the correct syntax?
Thanks.

Answer 1

> I set this query : Select * from CIM_DataFile where
> Name='C:\\Windows\\testfile.txt' and
> LastModified<'20140910145110.821214+180'.
>
> The replace action occurs on all machines where windows directory is
> 'C:\Windows\'. But there are machines on network where windows is
> installed on directory 'C:\Windows7'.
>
> So I was thinking to use %WindowsDir% environment variable in the WMI
> query to ckeck testfile.txt date on the correct directory where windows
> is installed.
Short answer: You cannot use environment variables in WMI filters.
But you can modify your query:
Select * from CIM_DataFile where (Name = 'C:\\Windows\\testfile.txt' or
Name = 'C:\\Windows7\\testfile.txt' ) and
LastModified<'20140910145110.821214+180'
Event this one should work:
Select * from CIM_DataFile where Name like 'C:\\Windows%\\testfile.txt'
and LastModified<'20140910145110.821214+180'
BTW: The variable should be %windir% anyway, not %windowsdir% :)
Martin
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