Why are %PROGRAMFILES% and %PROGRAMFILES(x86)% set?

[corykendall]

I'm fixing a ton of batch scripts that have to be updated now that we have moved to an NDS system.

Now that our Program Files are in the directory "C:\Program Files (x86)", I'm curious as to why

the variable %PROGRAMFILES% doesn't store the location "C:\Program Files (x86)". Instead, the

variable stores "C:\Program Files", and a new variable %PROGRAMFILES(x86)% stores the other

directory.

If this is how changes are going to made, why do we have a variable in the first place?

Thanks,

Windows Noob.

[ɹəuəllıʍ ʇɐb]

I don't understand the question...

%PROGRAMFILES(x86)% should be pointing to the x86 folder (32-bit applications), and

%PROGRAMFILES% should be pointing to the default folder (64-bit applications).