Windows registry

ivanlaw · November 14th, 2007, 04:29 AM

May I know that if I did not set location of the .ini file, then by default it will be store at where?
Waiting for your advice...

Thank you.

BrianWren · November 14th, 2007, 06:07 PM

I donât think so. Why not specify where it is?

ivanlaw · November 15th, 2007, 12:03 AM

Hi there,
Actually I am a newbie to use this .ini file and windows registry, so can you teach me how to specify a location for it?
Because the book which I read it just teach me how to create it without specify a location for it.Example of the coding is below:
SaveSetting "my_app", "User", "Name", "Ken"
That is all.
Please teach me,I waiting for your advice.

Thank you.

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by BrianWren
I donât think so.  Why not specify where it is?

BrianWren · November 15th, 2007, 02:25 PM

This is the declaration to read an INI file:

Code:

Declare Function GetPrivateProfileString _
        Lib "kernel32" _
        Alias "GetPrivateProfileStringA" (ByVal lpSctNm As String, _
                                          ByVal lpKeyNm As String, _
                                          ByVal lpDflt As String, _
                                          ByVal lpRtrnBfr As String, _
                                          ByVal nSize As Long, _
                                          ByVal lpfNam As String _
                                         ) As Long

Then you use this to get the value for a specific entry (key) within a specific section:

Code:

    Const Size = nnn

Code:

    Dim Bfr  As String
    Dim Rtrn As Long
    Dim s    As String
    Dim i    As Integer

    Bfr = Space$(Size)

    Rtrn = GetPrivateProfileString(Section, key, DefaultValue, Bfr, Size, IniFile)

    s = Left$(Bfr, InStr(Bfr, vbNullChar) - 1)

    ' The fol. 2 lines permit using semicolons to put 
    ' comments on lines in the ini.
    i = InStr(s, ";")
    If i > 0 Then s = Trim$(Left$(s, i - 1))

Section would be the string that marks a section in the INI. key would be the specific entry. DefaultValue is what will be returned if the key is not found. Bfr is the string buffer that the result will be put into. Size tells the API function the size of Bfr. IniFile is a string holding the fully-qualified path and filename for the INI you want to get the value from.

ivanlaw · November 16th, 2007, 03:59 AM

Hi Pro,
May I know what codes I learn from the book?
Because after I see your coding that you post to me, I can say that is completely different.Is it I learn Windows registry?
The Coding I learn for read is below:
GetSetting("my_app","User","Name")

Could you tell the answer,please?
Waiting for your advice.

Thank you.

BrianWren · November 16th, 2007, 05:41 PM

What I poted has nothing whatsoever to do with the Registry.

You say:

Quote:

quote:Actually I am a newbie to use this .ini file and windows registry, so can you teach me how to specify a location for it?
Because the book which I read it just teach me how to create it without specify a location for it.

But this is unclear. When you say â...location for it,â you have just used 2 nouns. That which âitâ refers to could be either the Registry or an ini file. But the location of the Registry is a meaningless concept, and you have not specified what ini file you might be looking for. You can put an ini file anywhere you like... there fore the following

Quote:

quote:May I know that if I did not set location of the .ini file, then by default it will be store at where?

is unanswerable. It is like saying "If I don't specify the location of a .txt, where would it be by default?"

What does, âMay I know what codes I learn from the book?â mean? It is as if you are asking me, "Please tell me what I know."

You say, "Could you tell the answer,please?" The answer to what?

GetSetting does not have anything whatsoever to do with ini files. It gets a value out of the Registry, which is not an ini file.

Could you please read your posts before posting them to see if they say what you mean?

Remove politeness items like "please" "may I" "waiting for . . ." "thank you" salutations ("Hi", etc.), don't explain that you are a newbie, "Please teach me", and so on.

I already know that you want to know the answer to what you are asking just because you asked. Being polite like this makes it harder for you to assemble your post, and makes them harder to read. (Don't apologize.)

Just post exactly what you want to know, or what you are trynig to do ("How do I read a value from the Registry?" "How do I get a value out of a .INI file?", etc.). that will be easier for everyone.

I do not have the book you have, whattever it is. The people answering here do not work for WROX. We are just people around the world who use this site, and contribute when we can.

ivanlaw · November 17th, 2007, 03:32 AM

OK...I will ask the question as direct as I can.
1.)What did you means"the location of the Registry is a meaningless concept"?
2.)So how I set location for the Windows registry after you see the coding that I already posted?

Thank you.

BrianWren · November 19th, 2007, 12:41 PM

The registry is addressed by using registry-addressing functions. There is no concept involved that involves know where it is. In fact, it is in memory plus being located in the file system. You do not specify its location when using it. It is like praying to God: You donât need to concern yourself with where He is. You speak to Him, He hears. You read the registry, the data arrive.

What is it that you are trying to do? Perhaps a broader view would make it easier to help you. Something like, âI need to store 2 pieces of data for a given user so that it will be there for him the next time he starts the machine and logs in. How can I use the Registry for this? Is there a better way? I am using VB6.â