diff --git a/interpreter.js b/interpreter.js
index 8c9896f..626da2c 100644
--- a/interpreter.js
+++ b/interpreter.js
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 
 	function executeCommand(args, std) {
-		console.log(args, std);
+		console.log(`args: ${args}, std: ${std}`);
 	}
 
 	function astSequence() {
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 		let args = [];
 		return {
 			add: a => args.push(a),
+			size: a => args.length,
 			execute: (std) => {
 				let evaluatedArgs = args.map(a => a.evaluate());
 				executeCommand(evaluatedArgs, std);
@@ -28,6 +29,16 @@
 		};
 	}
 
+	function astAssignment(name) {
+		let value = astValueString("");
+		return {
+			setValue: v => { value = v; },
+			execute: (std) => {
+				variables[name] = value.evaluate();
+			}
+		};
+	}
+
 	function astValueCompound() {
 		let components = [];
 		return {
@@ -76,9 +87,10 @@
 	function parseCommands(content) {
 		let line = 1;
 
-		const PS_INIT    = 0;
-		const PS_COMMENT = -1;
-		const PS_COMMAND = 1;
+		const PS_INIT     = 0;
+		const PS_COMMENT  = -1;
+		const PS_COMMAND  = 1;
+		const PS_ASSIGN   = 2;
 
 		let astRoot = astSequence();
 		let current = null;
@@ -110,7 +122,11 @@
 					// check for escape and quotes
 					if (c == ';' || c == '\n') {
 						if (buffer) {
-							current.add(astValueString(buffer));
+							if (buffer[0] == '$') {
+								current.add(astValueVar(buffer.substring(1)));
+							} else {
+								current.add(astValueString(buffer));
+							}
 							buffer = "";
 						}
 						astRoot.add(current);
@@ -118,9 +134,39 @@
 						state = PS_INIT;
 					} else if (c == ' ' || c == '\t') {
 						if (buffer) {
-							current.add(astValueString(buffer));
+							if (buffer[0] == '$') {
+								current.add(astValueVar(buffer.substring(1)));
+							} else {
+								current.add(astValueString(buffer));
+							}
 							buffer = "";
 						}
+					} else if (c == '=' && current.size() == 0) {
+						current = astAssignment(buffer);
+						state = PS_ASSIGN;
+						buffer = "";
+					} else {
+						buffer += c;
+					}
+					break;
+				case PS_ASSIGN:
+					// check for escape and quotes
+					if (c == ';' || c == '\n') {
+						if (buffer[0] == "$") {
+							current.setValue(astValueVar(buffer.substring(1)));
+						} else {
+							current.setValue(astValueString(buffer));
+						}
+						buffer = "";
+						astRoot.add(current);
+						current = null;
+						state = PS_INIT;
+					} else if (c == ' ' || c == '\t') {
+						// would normale set exported variable for command but we don't support that anyway
+						// current.setValue(astValueString(buffer));
+						buffer = "";
+						current = null;
+						state = PS_INIT;
 					} else {
 						buffer += c;
 					}