win_environment doesnt resolve %var%

[markatdxb]

SUMMARY

im trying to set 2 env vars when the second one should resolve the first one
when using SETX command this works fine but using module the resolv doesnt work

ISSUE TYPE

• Bug Report

COMPONENT NAME

win_environment

ANSIBLE VERSION

8.1.0
2.15.1

COLLECTION VERSION

CONFIGURATION

OS / ENVIRONMENT

STEPS TO REPRODUCE

- name: Update Env vars
      ansible.windows.win_environment:
        state: present
        name: "{{ item.var_name }}"
        value: "{{ item.var_value }}"
        level: machine
      loop:
        - var_name: VAR_A
          var_value: VALUE_A
        - var_name: VAR_B
          var_value: '%VAR_A%-VALUE_B'

EXPECTED RESULTS

set
VAR_A=VALUE_A
VAR_B=VALUE_A-VALUE_B

ACTUAL RESULTS

set
VAR_A=VALUE_A
VAR_B=%VAR_A%-VALUE_B

[jborean93]

I think this might be related to dotnet/runtime#1442 where the dotnet function SetEnvironmentVariable sets the raw registry value as a REG_SZ instead of a REG_EXPAND_SZ needed to expand %env_var%. The fix would be to have win_environment just edit the registry directly which requires a change in the module.