Why can I change the drive with C: but not with HKCU:?-CodePudding

In a PowerShell session, I can change a file system drive with C:, D: etc:

PS: C:\> d:
PS: D:\> c:
PS: C:\>

However, trying the same thing with a registry drive (HKCU:) does not work:

PS: C:\> hkcu:
hkcu: : The term 'hkcu:' is not recognized as the name of a cmdlet, function, script file, or operable program. ....

However, I can change drive using set-location (cd):

PS: C:\> cd hkcu:
PS: HKCU:\>

I am surprised about this behavor which I feel is inconsistent and would like to know why this is or what's going on behind the scenes.

CodePudding user response：

The filesystem drive names (C:, D:, etc.) are explicitly defined as functions; the registry "drives" (HKCU: etc.) are not. You can enable the same behavior for the registry "drives" by defining functions for them in the same way:

function HKCU: {
    Set-Location $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Name
}