.INI in VB.Net?

[=?Utf-8?B?VG9tbXkgTG9uZw==?=]

I know how to do it in VB6, I have code snippets coming out my ears for VB6,
but with the new framework in Visual Studio 2005, how do you get/put from a
..INI

If I attempt to use a VB6 snippet in Studio 05 it whinges about using the
'as Any' type in my declarations, and it whinges about using the String$()
function when creating a buffer string variable. Infact, it whinges a whole
lot, why my employer got VS05 I'll never know. :(

Anyway, thanks in advance for any help.

If people have simple alternatives for the use of .ini's for my future
reference, that'd be handy as well. Assumably .xl?

Cheers,
Tommy

--
-------------------------------
Please respond to my posts via the newsgroup as the e-mail provided is not
monitored.

[=?Utf-8?B?VG9tbXkgTG9uZw==?=]

RE: .INI in VB.Net?

Found it,

Never mind. Linked below:

http://www.developer.com/net/asp/article.php/3287991

--
-------------------------------
Please respond to my posts via the newsgroup as the e-mail provided is not
monitored.


"Tommy Long" wrote:

I know how to do it in VB6, I have code snippets coming out my ears for VB6,
but with the new framework in Visual Studio 2005, how do you get/put from a
.INI
>
If I attempt to use a VB6 snippet in Studio 05 it whinges about using the
'as Any' type in my declarations, and it whinges about using the String$()
function when creating a buffer string variable. Infact, it whinges a whole
lot, why my employer got VS05 I'll never know. :(
>
Anyway, thanks in advance for any help.
>
If people have simple alternatives for the use of .ini's for my future
reference, that'd be handy as well. Assumably .xl?
>
Cheers,
Tommy
>
--
-------------------------------
Please respond to my posts via the newsgroup as the e-mail provided is not
monitored.

[Tom Shelton]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

On 2008-07-02, Tommy Long <TommyLong@disc ussions.microso ft.comwrote:

I know how to do it in VB6, I have code snippets coming out my ears for VB6,
but with the new framework in Visual Studio 2005, how do you get/put from a
.INI
>
If I attempt to use a VB6 snippet in Studio 05 it whinges about using the
'as Any' type in my declarations, and it whinges about using the String$()
function when creating a buffer string variable. Infact, it whinges a whole
lot, why my employer got VS05 I'll never know. :(
>
Anyway, thanks in advance for any help.
>
If people have simple alternatives for the use of .ini's for my future
reference, that'd be handy as well. Assumably .xl?
>
Cheers,
Tommy
>

Hard to answer without seeing the method your using, but the basic answer is
"the same way". Are you using API calls? VB6 File IO?

Why don't you post a small sample of the problematic code (including api
declarations if that's the method your using) - your more likely to get a
correct answer that way :)
--
Tom Shelton

[=?Utf-8?B?VG9tbXkgTG9uZw==?=]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

I've been using the VB6 Code, I've found an answer but in the interest of
better answers, here are the declarations:

Private Declare Function GetPrivateProfi leString Lib "kernel32" Alias
"GetPrivateProf ileStringA" (ByVal lpApplicationNa me As String, ByVal
lpKeyName As Any, ByVal lpDefault As String, ByVal lpReturnedStrin g As
String, ByVal nSize As Long, ByVal lpFileName As String) As Long

Private Declare Function WritePrivatePro fileString Lib "kernel32" Alias
"WritePrivatePr ofileStringA" (ByVal lpApplicationNa me As String, ByVal
lpKeyName As Any, ByVal lpString As Any, ByVal lpFileName As String) As Long

They both throw multiple errors for their use of the 'Any' variable type.

Additionally, in the following 'GetFromINI' procedure:

Function GetFromINI(sSec tion As String, sKey As String, sDefault As String,
sIniFile As String)
Dim sBuffer As String, lRet As Long
' Fill String with 255 spaces
sBuffer = String$(255, 0)
' Call DLL
lRet = GetPrivateProfi leString(sSecti on, sKey, "", sBuffer,
Len(sBuffer), sIniFile)
If lRet = 0 Then
' DLL failed, save default
If sDefault <"" Then AddToINI sSection, sKey, sDefault, sIniFile
GetFromINI = sDefault
Else
' DLL successful
' return string
GetFromINI = Left(sBuffer, InStr(sBuffer, Chr(0)) - 1)
End If
End Function

I receive an error for using the function 'String$(#, #)' which I don't know
a replacement for in VB.NET.

I'm not all that interested in converting to XL* files, though I may in the
future. I believe the link I provided in my initial post contains a link
near the bottom for implementing XL* procedures instead of INI though.

Any help that is better for one reason or another than the class based
solution I posted is much appreciated.

Tommy
--
-------------------------------
Please respond to my posts via the newsgroup as the e-mail provided is not
monitored.


"Tom Shelton" wrote:

On 2008-07-02, Tommy Long <TommyLong@disc ussions.microso ft.comwrote:

I know how to do it in VB6, I have code snippets coming out my ears for VB6,
but with the new framework in Visual Studio 2005, how do you get/put from a
.INI

If I attempt to use a VB6 snippet in Studio 05 it whinges about using the
'as Any' type in my declarations, and it whinges about using the String$()
function when creating a buffer string variable. Infact, it whinges a whole
lot, why my employer got VS05 I'll never know. :(

Anyway, thanks in advance for any help.

If people have simple alternatives for the use of .ini's for my future
reference, that'd be handy as well. Assumably .xl?

Cheers,
Tommy

>
Hard to answer without seeing the method your using, but the basic answer is
"the same way". Are you using API calls? VB6 File IO?
>
Why don't you post a small sample of the problematic code (including api
declarations if that's the method your using) - your more likely to get a
correct answer that way :)
--
Tom Shelton
>

[Tom Shelton]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

On 2008-07-02, Tommy Long <TommyLong@disc ussions.microso ft.comwrote:

Found it,
>
Never mind. Linked below:
>
http://www.developer.com/net/asp/article.php/3287991

I wonder why the author decided to use the Ansi functions? You can simply
declare the functions as Auto and let the runtime decide the best method for
the system (which on NT based boxes is going to be the W functions).

--
Tom Shelton

[Tom Shelton]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

On 2008-07-02, Tommy Long <TommyLong@disc ussions.microso ft.comwrote:

I've been using the VB6 Code, I've found an answer but in the interest of
better answers, here are the declarations:
>
Private Declare Function GetPrivateProfi leString Lib "kernel32" Alias
"GetPrivateProf ileStringA" (ByVal lpApplicationNa me As String, ByVal
lpKeyName As Any, ByVal lpDefault As String, ByVal lpReturnedStrin g As
String, ByVal nSize As Long, ByVal lpFileName As String) As Long
>

Private Declare Auto Function GetPrivateProfi leString Lib "kernel32" ( _
ByVal lpApplicationNa me As String, _
ByVal lpKeyName As String, _
ByVal lpDefault As String, _
ByVal lpReturnedStrin g As System.Text.Str ingBuilder, _
ByVal nSize As Integer, _
ByVal lpFileName As String)

Private Declare Function WritePrivatePro fileString Lib "kernel32" Alias
"WritePrivatePr ofileStringA" (ByVal lpApplicationNa me As String, ByVal
lpKeyName As Any, ByVal lpString As Any, ByVal lpFileName As String) As Long
>

Private Declare Auto Function WritePrivatePro fileString Lib "kernel32" ( _
ByVal lpApplicationNa me As String, _
ByVal lpKeyName As String, _
ByVal lpString As String, _
ByVal lpFileName As String) As Integer

They both throw multiple errors for their use of the 'Any' variable type.
>

That's because VB.NET doesn't support the As Any type. To be honest, it isn't
often needed - and, because VB.NET supports overloading, you can declare the
API's with multiple signitures. Yes, I'm aware that that can be a pain, but
rarely is in practice, since it isn't common to have to declare the api call
with more then two or three signatures.

Additionally, in the following 'GetFromINI' procedure:
>
Function GetFromINI(sSec tion As String, sKey As String, sDefault As String,
sIniFile As String)
Dim sBuffer As String, lRet As Long
' Fill String with 255 spaces
sBuffer = String$(255, 0)
' Call DLL
lRet = GetPrivateProfi leString(sSecti on, sKey, "", sBuffer,
Len(sBuffer), sIniFile)
If lRet = 0 Then
' DLL failed, save default
If sDefault <"" Then AddToINI sSection, sKey, sDefault, sIniFile
GetFromINI = sDefault
Else
' DLL successful
' return string
GetFromINI = Left(sBuffer, InStr(sBuffer, Chr(0)) - 1)
End If
End Function
>

Function GetFromINI ( _
ByVal sSection As String, _
ByVal sKey As String, _
ByVal sDefault As String, _
ByVal sIniFile As String) As String

Dim sBuffer As New StringBuilder (255)

Dim lRet As Integer = GetPrivateProfi leString ( _
sSection,
sKey,
String.Empty,
sBuffer,
sBuffer.Capacit y,
sIniFile)

If lRet = 0 Then
If Default <String.Empty Then
AddToINI (sSection, sKey, sDefault, sIniFile)
End If
Return sDefault
End if

Return sBuffer.ToStrin g()
End Function

I receive an error for using the function 'String$(#, #)' which I don't know
a replacement for in VB.NET.
>

Actually, you can do that with a string constructor:

Dim s As String = new String (5, "#")

--
Tom Shelton

[rowe_newsgroups]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

On Jul 2, 12:03 pm, Tommy Long <TommyL...@disc ussions.microso ft.com>
wrote:

I've been using the VB6 Code, I've found an answer but in the interest of
better answers, here are the declarations:
>
Private Declare Function GetPrivateProfi leString Lib "kernel32" Alias
"GetPrivateProf ileStringA" (ByVal lpApplicationNa me As String, ByVal
lpKeyName As Any, ByVal lpDefault As String, ByVal lpReturnedStrin g As
String, ByVal nSize As Long, ByVal lpFileName As String) As Long
>
Private Declare Function WritePrivatePro fileString Lib "kernel32" Alias
"WritePrivatePr ofileStringA" (ByVal lpApplicationNa me As String, ByVal
lpKeyName As Any, ByVal lpString As Any, ByVal lpFileName As String) As Long
>
They both throw multiple errors for their use of the 'Any' variable type.
>
Additionally, in the following 'GetFromINI' procedure:
>
Function GetFromINI(sSec tion As String, sKey As String, sDefault As String,
sIniFile As String)
    Dim sBuffer As String, lRet As Long
    ' Fill String with 255 spaces
    sBuffer = String$(255, 0)
    ' Call DLL
    lRet = GetPrivateProfi leString(sSecti on, sKey, "", sBuffer,
Len(sBuffer), sIniFile)
    If lRet = 0 Then
        ' DLL failed, save default
        If sDefault <"" Then AddToINI sSection, sKey, sDefault,sIniFi le
        GetFromINI = sDefault
    Else
        ' DLL successful
        ' return string
        GetFromINI = Left(sBuffer, InStr(sBuffer, Chr(0)) - 1)
    End If
End Function
>
I receive an error for using the function 'String$(#, #)' which I don't know
a replacement for in VB.NET.
>
I'm not all that interested in converting to XL* files, though I may in the
future.  I believe the link I provided in my initial post contains a link
near the bottom for implementing XL* procedures instead of INI though.
>
Any help that is better for one reason or another than the class based
solution I posted is much appreciated.
>
Tommy
--
-------------------------------
Please respond to my posts via the newsgroup as the e-mail provided is not
monitored.
>
"Tom Shelton" wrote:

On 2008-07-02, Tommy Long <TommyL...@disc ussions.microso ft.comwrote:

I know how to do it in VB6, I have code snippets coming out my ears for VB6,
but with the new framework in Visual Studio 2005, how do you get/put from a
.INI

>

If I attempt to use a VB6 snippet in Studio 05 it whinges about usingthe
'as Any' type in my declarations, and it whinges about using the String$()
function when creating a buffer string variable.  Infact, it whinges a whole
lot, why my employer got VS05 I'll never know.  :(

>

Anyway, thanks in advance for any help.

>

If people have simple alternatives for the use of .ini's for my future
reference, that'd be handy as well.  Assumably .xl?

>

Cheers,
Tommy

>

Hard to answer without seeing the method your using, but the basic answer is
"the same way".  Are you using API calls?  VB6 File IO?

>

Why don't you post a small sample of the problematic code (including api
declarations if that's the method your using) - your more likely to geta
correct answer that way :)
--
Tom Shelton

Here's a great site to find the proper API declarations for .NET

http://www.pinvoke.net/

Also, I personally never use .ini files for my .NET applications. I
prefer to use a custom xml file or use the My.Settings code and it's
attached .config files.

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

http://sethrowe.blogspot.com/

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

"Tommy Long" <TommyLong@disc ussions.microso ft.comschrieb:

>I know how to do it in VB6, I have code snippets coming out my ears for
>VB6,
but with the new framework in Visual Studio 2005, how do you get/put from
a
.INI

Complete INI library written in VB based on the Win32 INI functions:

<URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/samples/filesystem/IniLib.zip>

--
M S Herfried K. Wagner
M V P <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>
V B <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/faqs/>

[Cor Ligthert[MVP]]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

Herfried,

I was waiting for this one,

Strange enough that there is nobody who tells not to use INI files anymore,
I say it here, but I don't go in the discussion, it is discussed to often in
past, and samples for better alternatives are easily to find on Google.

But it seems that the sinse this millenium better alternatives for INI files
are completely missed by some persons.

Cor


"Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]" <hirf-spam-me-here@gmx.atschr eef in bericht
news:usi5xtK3IH A.3348@TK2MSFTN GP03.phx.gbl...

"Tommy Long" <TommyLong@disc ussions.microso ft.comschrieb:

>>I know how to do it in VB6, I have code snippets coming out my ears for
>>VB6,
>but with the new framework in Visual Studio 2005, how do you get/put from
>a
>.INI

>
Complete INI library written in VB based on the Win32 INI functions:
>
<URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/samples/filesystem/IniLib.zip>
>
--
M S Herfried K. Wagner
M V P <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>
V B <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/faqs/>

[=?Utf-8?B?U3VydHVyWg==?=]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

If only Microsoft allowed you to save Application scope settings as well as
User ones in My.Settings!!!

I find it inexplicable that they don't. Maybe it is because with certain
deployments each user login has a separate copy of the app, so changes to
settings for all users on a computer can't be done this way??

Maybe saving/loading a dataset to XML is the way to go.

I've always liked .INI files, but I find the argument list of
GetPrivateProfi leString painful. I always end up wrapping it in another
function so I can get an .INI setting in one line of code.

--
David Streeter
Synchrotech Software
Sydney Australia


"Cor Ligthert[MVP]" wrote:

Herfried,
>
I was waiting for this one,
>
Strange enough that there is nobody who tells not to use INI files anymore,
I say it here, but I don't go in the discussion, it is discussed to often in
past, and samples for better alternatives are easily to find on Google.
>
But it seems that the sinse this millenium better alternatives for INI files
are completely missed by some persons.
>
Cor
>
>
"Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]" <hirf-spam-me-here@gmx.atschr eef in bericht
news:usi5xtK3IH A.3348@TK2MSFTN GP03.phx.gbl...

"Tommy Long" <TommyLong@disc ussions.microso ft.comschrieb:

>I know how to do it in VB6, I have code snippets coming out my ears for
>VB6,
but with the new framework in Visual Studio 2005, how do you get/put from
a
.INI

Complete INI library written in VB based on the Win32 INI functions:

<URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/samples/filesystem/IniLib.zip>

--
M S Herfried K. Wagner
M V P <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>
V B <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/faqs/>

>

[Cor Ligthert[MVP]]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

Sutur,

Where you talking about, are you talking about isolated storage?

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bdts8hk0.aspx

I doubt it.

Cor

"SurturZ" <surturz@newsgr oup.nospamschre ef in bericht
news:0F54B227-41BA-441F-B850-EB4335006E2B@mi crosoft.com...

If only Microsoft allowed you to save Application scope settings as well
as
User ones in My.Settings!!!
>
I find it inexplicable that they don't. Maybe it is because with certain
deployments each user login has a separate copy of the app, so changes to
settings for all users on a computer can't be done this way??
>
Maybe saving/loading a dataset to XML is the way to go.
>
I've always liked .INI files, but I find the argument list of
GetPrivateProfi leString painful. I always end up wrapping it in another
function so I can get an .INI setting in one line of code.
>
--
David Streeter
Synchrotech Software
Sydney Australia
>
>
"Cor Ligthert[MVP]" wrote:
>

>Herfried,
>>
>I was waiting for this one,
>>
>Strange enough that there is nobody who tells not to use INI files
>anymore,
>I say it here, but I don't go in the discussion, it is discussed to often
>in
>past, and samples for better alternatives are easily to find on Google.
>>
>But it seems that the sinse this millenium better alternatives for INI
>files
>are completely missed by some persons.
>>
>Cor
>>
>>
>"Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]" <hirf-spam-me-here@gmx.atschr eef in bericht
>news:usi5xtK3I HA.3348@TK2MSFT NGP03.phx.gbl.. .

"Tommy Long" <TommyLong@disc ussions.microso ft.comschrieb:
>>I know how to do it in VB6, I have code snippets coming out my ears for
>>VB6,
>but with the new framework in Visual Studio 2005, how do you get/put
>from
>a
>.INI
>
Complete INI library written in VB based on the Win32 INI functions:
>
<URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/samples/filesystem/IniLib.zip>
>
--
M S Herfried K. Wagner
M V P <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>
V B <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/faqs/>

>>

[Michael Leithold, WWK]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

You can look at this framework for reading config files:

http://nini.sourceforge.net/index.php

It's a more .NET like way to read and write ini files than win32 API.

Michael

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

"Cor Ligthert[MVP]" <notmyfirstname @planet.nlschri eb:

Strange enough that there is nobody who tells not to use INI files
anymore, I say it here, but I don't go in the discussion, it is discussed
to often in past, and samples for better alternatives are easily to find
on Google.
>
But it seems that the sinse this millenium better alternatives for INI
files are completely missed by some persons.

Well, it seems that even in this millennium there are thousands of
well-tested and well-established programs in use which still rely on INI
files!

--
M S Herfried K. Wagner
M V P <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>
V B <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/faqs/>

[Herfried K. Wagner [MVP]]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

"SurturZ" <surturz@newsgr oup.nospamschri eb:

I find it inexplicable that they don't. Maybe it is because with certain
deployments each user login has a separate copy of the app, so changes to
settings for all users on a computer can't be done this way??

You are giving the reason why it's not possible to write application-scoped
settings. The current setting would depend on the value persisted by the
user who used the application for the last time. This would not make much
sense.

I've always liked .INI files, but I find the argument list of
GetPrivateProfi leString painful. I always end up wrapping it in another
function so I can get an .INI setting in one line of code.

Fortunately a wrapper can be written once and used several times. There is
no need to reinvent the wheel for each application.

--
M S Herfried K. Wagner
M V P <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/>
V B <URL:http://dotnet.mvps.org/dotnet/faqs/>

[=?Utf-8?B?U3VydHVyWg==?=]

Re: .INI in VB.Net?

You are giving the reason why it's not possible to write application-scoped

settings. The current setting would depend on the value persisted by the
user who used the application for the last time. This would not make much
sense.

In real-world programming there are plenty of cases where this makes sense.
For example, if there is a report that need to be printed on special
stationery. If the normal "special stationery" printer breaks down, a user
can change the default printer for that report to another printer, and you
want it changed for all users of that PC.

Setting default save directories after installing an application is another
example.

--
David Streeter
Synchrotech Software
Sydney Australia