Remember Previous Settings for an Application

[Mel]

What is the best method to achieve this (I am relatively new to
vb.net)? Should I use an ini file or the registry? Is there another
option available in vb.net that is the preferred way? This
application will reside on our network and more than one user could
possibly run it so I don't think the local registry is the answer.
Basically I just want to remember the options the last user chose on
the form and then use those previously used settings the next time the
program is run.

[rowe_newsgroups]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

On Aug 19, 11:26 am, Mel <MLights...@gma il.comwrote:

What is the best method to achieve this (I am relatively new to
vb.net)?  Should I use an ini file or the registry?  Is there another
option available in vb.net that is the preferred way?  This
application will reside on our network and more than one user could
possibly run it so I don't think the local registry is the answer.
Basically I just want to remember the options the last user chose on
the form and then use those previously used settings the next time the
program is run.

I would use and XML file personally.

Also, be warned that running .NET apps from the network will give you
a lot of headaches at deployment. Do yourself a favor now and start
learning how to do it (write a simple app and deploy it to your
network, then you'll see the errors I'm referring to).

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

http://sethrowe.blogspot.com/

[Bill McCarthy]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

Hi Seth,

>Also, be warned that running .NET apps from the network will give you
>a lot of headaches at deployment. Do yourself a favor now and start
>learning how to do it (write a simple app and deploy it to your
>network, then you'll see the errors I'm referring to).

I thought a lot of that was fixed with recent 3.5 SP1 ?

[Mel]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

On Aug 19, 10:40 am, rowe_newsgroups <rowe_em...@yah oo.comwrote:

On Aug 19, 11:26 am, Mel <MLights...@gma il.comwrote:
>

What is the best method to achieve this (I am relatively new to
vb.net)? Should I use an ini file or the registry? Is there another
option available in vb.net that is the preferred way? This
application will reside on our network and more than one user could
possibly run it so I don't think the local registry is the answer.
Basically I just want to remember the options the last user chose on
the form and then use those previously used settings the next time the
program is run.

>
I would use and XML file personally.
>
Also, be warned that running .NET apps from the network will give you
a lot of headaches at deployment. Do yourself a favor now and start
learning how to do it (write a simple app and deploy it to your
network, then you'll see the errors I'm referring to).
>
Thanks,
>
Seth Rowe [MVP]http://sethrowe.blogsp ot.com/

Okay, I'll look into using an XML file. Thank you for the tip. I'll
search Google for instructions on how to do that.

We have a "Source Code" folder on our file server where we store all
the source code and the executable. Then any of the developers can
modify the program code or run the executable from this location.
This particular vb.net app won't actually be installed anywhere. It
is intended to just be used by the development team to easily manage/
update one of our databases.

[rowe_newsgroups]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

I thought a lot of that was fixed with recent 3.5 SP1 ?

Not sure - I hope it was.

I've been in the web-world only for quite a while now so I haven't
been keeping up to speed on Window's application deployment methods.

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

http://sethrowe.blogspot.com/

[Bill McCarthy]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

Hi Seth,

"rowe_newsgroup s" <rowe_email@yah oo.comwrote in message
news:609d66d6-3dbb-4eaa-bbaa-61b045b9a80e@m4 5g2000hsb.googl egroups.com...

>I thought a lot of that was fixed with recent 3.5 SP1 ?

>
Not sure - I hope it was.
>
I've been in the web-world only for quite a while now so I haven't
been keeping up to speed on Window's application deployment methods.
>

I haven't tested it, but did read these entries :

http://blogs.msdn.com/shawnfa/archiv...lintranet.aspx

http://blogs.msdn.com/vancem/archive...ork-share.aspx

So it looks good/better ;)

[rowe_newsgroups]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

On Aug 19, 1:18 pm, "Bill McCarthy" <B...@localhost .comwrote:

Hi Seth,
>
"rowe_newsgroup s" <rowe_em...@yah oo.comwrote in message
>
news:609d66d6-3dbb-4eaa-bbaa-61b045b9a80e@m4 5g2000hsb.googl egroups.com...
>

I thought a lot of that was fixed with recent 3.5 SP1 ?

>

Not sure - I hope it was.

>

I've been in the web-world only for quite a while now so I haven't
been keeping up to speed on Window's application deployment methods.

>
I haven't tested it, but did read these entries :
>
http://blogs.msdn.com/shawnfa/archiv...ust-on-the-loc...
>
http://blogs.msdn.com/vancem/archive...mework-3-5-sp1...
>
So it looks good/better ;)

Ooh, very nice.

If I was still at my old job (where I developed Window's applications)
I would be dancing for joy! Now I just curse under my breath that this
wasn't available before....

:-)

Thanks,

Seth Rowe [MVP]

http://sethrowe.blogspot.com/

[Mel]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

On Aug 19, 1:16 pm, rowe_newsgroups <rowe_em...@yah oo.comwrote:

On Aug 19, 1:18 pm, "Bill McCarthy" <B...@localhost .comwrote:
>
>
>

Hi Seth,

>

"rowe_newsgroup s" <rowe_em...@yah oo.comwrote in message

>

news:609d66d6-3dbb-4eaa-bbaa-61b045b9a80e@m4 5g2000hsb.googl egroups.com...

>

>I thought a lot of that was fixed with recent 3.5 SP1 ?

>

Not sure - I hope it was.

>

I've been in the web-world only for quite a while now so I haven't
been keeping up to speed on Window's application deployment methods.

>

I haven't tested it, but did read these entries :

>

http://blogs.msdn.com/shawnfa/archiv...ust-on-the-loc...

>

http://blogs.msdn.com/vancem/archive...mework-3-5-sp1...

>

So it looks good/better ;)

>
Ooh, very nice.
>
If I was still at my old job (where I developed Window's applications)
I would be dancing for joy! Now I just curse under my breath that this
wasn't available before....
>
:-)
>
Thanks,
>
Seth Rowe [MVP]http://sethrowe.blogsp ot.com/

Anyone have a good link to an article that explains to how to read/
write to an XML file from VB.net? I only need to remember 3 darn
settings...

[Bill McCarthy]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

Hi Mel,

"Mel" <MLightsOut@gma il.comwrote in message
news:1c991145-c348-42aa-98b1-7eca9fc93890@e5 3g2000hsa.googl egroups.com...

>
Anyone have a good link to an article that explains to how to read/
write to an XML file from VB.net? I only need to remember 3 darn
settings...

Are the settings for all users or per user ? If the later then use
My.SEttigns and the settings designer.

If for all users, and you are using VB 2008, use XDocument, e.g:

To read:


Dim doc As XDocument = XDocument.Load( "settings.x ml")
Dim setting1 As String = doc...<setting1 >.Value
Dim setting2 As String = doc...<setting2 >.Value
Dim setting3 As String = doc...<setting3 >.Value



To Write:

Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
<settings>
<setting1>top secret key</setting1>
<setting2>my credit card number</setting2>
<setting3>my social security number</setting3>
</settings>


doc.Save("setti ngs.xml")


Or using placeholders:


Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
<settings>
<setting1><%= setting1 %></setting1>
<setting2><%= setting2 %></setting2>
<setting3><%= setting3 %></setting3>
</settings>

[Mel]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

On Aug 19, 2:17 pm, "Bill McCarthy" <B...@localhost .comwrote:

Hi Mel,
>
"Mel" <MLights...@gma il.comwrote in message
>
news:1c991145-c348-42aa-98b1-7eca9fc93890@e5 3g2000hsa.googl egroups.com...
>
>
>

Anyone have a good link to an article that explains to how to read/
write to an XML file from VB.net? I only need to remember 3 darn
settings...

>
Are the settings for all users or per user ? If the later then use
My.SEttigns and the settings designer.
>
If for all users, and you are using VB 2008, use XDocument, e.g:
>
To read:
>
Dim doc As XDocument = XDocument.Load( "settings.x ml")
Dim setting1 As String = doc...<setting1 >.Value
Dim setting2 As String = doc...<setting2 >.Value
Dim setting3 As String = doc...<setting3 >.Value
>
To Write:
>
Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
<settings>
<setting1>top secret key</setting1>
<setting2>my credit card number</setting2>
<setting3>my social security number</setting3>
</settings>
>
doc.Save("setti ngs.xml")
>
Or using placeholders:
>
Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
<settings>
<setting1><%= setting1 %></setting1>
<setting2><%= setting2 %></setting2>
<setting3><%= setting3 %></setting3>
</settings>

All users. I just wanted to remember the last settings used,
regardless of who did it. Thanks, I will check out your code example
and give it a whirl.

[Mel]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

On Aug 19, 2:17 pm, "Bill McCarthy" <B...@localhost .comwrote:

Hi Mel,
>
"Mel" <MLights...@gma il.comwrote in message
>
news:1c991145-c348-42aa-98b1-7eca9fc93890@e5 3g2000hsa.googl egroups.com...
>
>
>

Anyone have a good link to an article that explains to how to read/
write to an XML file from VB.net? I only need to remember 3 darn
settings...

>
Are the settings for all users or per user ? If the later then use
My.SEttigns and the settings designer.
>
If for all users, and you are using VB 2008, use XDocument, e.g:
>
To read:
>
Dim doc As XDocument = XDocument.Load( "settings.x ml")
Dim setting1 As String = doc...<setting1 >.Value
Dim setting2 As String = doc...<setting2 >.Value
Dim setting3 As String = doc...<setting3 >.Value
>
To Write:
>
Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
<settings>
<setting1>top secret key</setting1>
<setting2>my credit card number</setting2>
<setting3>my social security number</setting3>
</settings>
>
doc.Save("setti ngs.xml")
>
Or using placeholders:
>
Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
<settings>
<setting1><%= setting1 %></setting1>
<setting2><%= setting2 %></setting2>
<setting3><%= setting3 %></setting3>
</settings>

Okay so I was able to load the XML file. How exactly do I read a node
value? I tried all sort of scenarios of doc...<setting1 >.value like
you instructed but I just can't get it to work. Can you post an exact
example (without ellipse characters)?

'this is my tiny xml file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<xmldata>
<IncreaseOrDecr ease>Increase</IncreaseOrDecre ase>
<Percent>50</Percent>
<DateLastUpdate d>8/19/2008 8:00:00 AM</DateLastUpdated >
</xmldata>
'end of my tiny xml file

'my code in form load
Dim document As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument()
document.Load(S ystem.AppDomain .CurrentDomain. BaseDirectory &
"\settings.xml" ) 'this works

'how do I read Percent, IncreaseOrDecre ase and DateLastUpdated
from the xml file?
document...

'end of my code in form load

[Bill McCarthy]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

Hi Mel,

"Mel" <MLightsOut@gma il.comwrote in message
news:45784811-9c21-424f-9a56-047fc504640b@k3 0g2000hse.googl egroups.com...

On Aug 19, 2:17 pm, "Bill McCarthy" <B...@localhost .comwrote:

>Hi Mel,
>>
>"Mel" <MLights...@gma il.comwrote in message
>>
>news:1c99114 5-c348-42aa-98b1-7eca9fc93890@e5 3g2000hsa.googl egroups.com...
>>
>>
>>

Anyone have a good link to an article that explains to how to read/
write to an XML file from VB.net? I only need to remember 3 darn
settings...

>>
>Are the settings for all users or per user ? If the later then use
>My.SEttigns and the settings designer.
>>
>If for all users, and you are using VB 2008, use XDocument, e.g:
>>
>To read:
>>
>Dim doc As XDocument = XDocument.Load( "settings.x ml")
> Dim setting1 As String = doc...<setting1 >.Value
> Dim setting2 As String = doc...<setting2 >.Value
> Dim setting3 As String = doc...<setting3 >.Value
>>
>To Write:
>>
> Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
> <settings>
> <setting1>top secret key</setting1>
> <setting2>my credit card number</setting2>
> <setting3>my social security number</setting3>
> </settings>
>>
> doc.Save("setti ngs.xml")
>>
>Or using placeholders:
>>
> Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
> <settings>
> <setting1><%= setting1 %></setting1>
> <setting2><%= setting2 %></setting2>
> <setting3><%= setting3 %></setting3>
> </settings>

>
Okay so I was able to load the XML file. How exactly do I read a node
value? I tried all sort of scenarios of doc...<setting1 >.value like
you instructed but I just can't get it to work. Can you post an exact
example (without ellipse characters)?
>
'this is my tiny xml file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<xmldata>
<IncreaseOrDecr ease>Increase</IncreaseOrDecre ase>
<Percent>50</Percent>
<DateLastUpdate d>8/19/2008 8:00:00 AM</DateLastUpdated >
</xmldata>
'end of my tiny xml file
>
'my code in form load
Dim document As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument()
document.Load(S ystem.AppDomain .CurrentDomain. BaseDirectory &
"\settings.xml" ) 'this works
>
'how do I read Percent, IncreaseOrDecre ase and DateLastUpdated
from the xml file?
document...
>
'end of my code in form load

Are you using VB 2008 ? If so try cutting and pasting my code. The ... is
part of 2008's syntax with XDocument. Note that is XDocument, not
XMLDocument.

[Mel]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

On Aug 19, 8:05 pm, "Bill McCarthy" <B...@localhost .comwrote:

Hi Mel,
>
"Mel" <MLights...@gma il.comwrote in message
>
news:45784811-9c21-424f-9a56-047fc504640b@k3 0g2000hse.googl egroups.com...
>
>
>

On Aug 19, 2:17 pm, "Bill McCarthy" <B...@localhost .comwrote:

Hi Mel,

>

"Mel" <MLights...@gma il.comwrote in message

>

>news:1c99114 5-c348-42aa-98b1-7eca9fc93890@e5 3g2000hsa.googl egroups.com...

>

Anyone have a good link to an article that explains to how to read/
write to an XML file from VB.net? I only need to remember 3 darn
settings...

>

Are the settings for all users or per user ? If the later then use
My.SEttigns and the settings designer.

>

If for all users, and you are using VB 2008, use XDocument, e.g:

>

To read:

>

Dim doc As XDocument = XDocument.Load( "settings.x ml")
Dim setting1 As String = doc...<setting1 >.Value
Dim setting2 As String = doc...<setting2 >.Value
Dim setting3 As String = doc...<setting3 >.Value

>

To Write:

>

Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
<settings>
<setting1>top secret key</setting1>
<setting2>my credit card number</setting2>
<setting3>my social security number</setting3>
</settings>

>

doc.Save("setti ngs.xml")

>

Or using placeholders:

>

Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
<settings>
<setting1><%= setting1 %></setting1>
<setting2><%= setting2 %></setting2>
<setting3><%= setting3 %></setting3>
</settings>

>

Okay so I was able to load the XML file. How exactly do I read a node
value? I tried all sort of scenarios of doc...<setting1 >.value like
you instructed but I just can't get it to work. Can you post an exact
example (without ellipse characters)?

>

'this is my tiny xml file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<xmldata>
<IncreaseOrDecr ease>Increase</IncreaseOrDecre ase>
<Percent>50</Percent>
<DateLastUpdate d>8/19/2008 8:00:00 AM</DateLastUpdated >
</xmldata>
'end of my tiny xml file

>

'my code in form load
Dim document As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument()
document.Load(S ystem.AppDomain .CurrentDomain. BaseDirectory &
"\settings.xml" ) 'this works

>

'how do I read Percent, IncreaseOrDecre ase and DateLastUpdated
from the xml file?
document...

>

'end of my code in form load

>
Are you using VB 2008 ? If so try cutting and pasting my code. The ... is
part of 2008's syntax with XDocument. Note that is XDocument, not
XMLDocument.

I am using:
Visual Basic 2005, Visual Studio 2005 Version 8.0.50727.42, WinXP SP2,

[Mel]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

On Aug 20, 7:43 am, Mel <MLights...@gma il.comwrote:

On Aug 19, 8:05 pm, "Bill McCarthy" <B...@localhost .comwrote:
>
>
>

Hi Mel,

>

"Mel" <MLights...@gma il.comwrote in message

>

news:45784811-9c21-424f-9a56-047fc504640b@k3 0g2000hse.googl egroups.com...

>

On Aug 19, 2:17 pm, "Bill McCarthy" <B...@localhost .comwrote:
>Hi Mel,

>

>"Mel" <MLights...@gma il.comwrote in message

>

>>news:1c9911 45-c348-42aa-98b1-7eca9fc93890@e5 3g2000hsa.googl egroups.com...

>

Anyone have a good link to an article that explains to how to read/
write to an XML file from VB.net? I only need to remember 3 darn
settings...

>

>Are the settings for all users or per user ? If the later then use
>My.SEttigns and the settings designer.

>

>If for all users, and you are using VB 2008, use XDocument, e.g:

>

>To read:

>

>Dim doc As XDocument = XDocument.Load( "settings.x ml")
> Dim setting1 As String = doc...<setting1 >.Value
> Dim setting2 As String = doc...<setting2 >.Value
> Dim setting3 As String = doc...<setting3 >.Value

>

>To Write:

>

> Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
> <settings>
> <setting1>top secret key</setting1>
> <setting2>my credit card number</setting2>
> <setting3>my social security number</setting3>
> </settings>

>

> doc.Save("setti ngs.xml")

>

>Or using placeholders:

>

> Dim doc = <?xml version="1.0"?>
> <settings>
> <setting1><%= setting1 %></setting1>
> <setting2><%= setting2 %></setting2>
> <setting3><%= setting3 %></setting3>
> </settings>

>

Okay so I was able to load the XML file. How exactly do I read a node
value? I tried all sort of scenarios of doc...<setting1 >.value like
you instructed but I just can't get it to work. Can you post an exact
example (without ellipse characters)?

>

'this is my tiny xml file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<xmldata>
<IncreaseOrDecr ease>Increase</IncreaseOrDecre ase>
<Percent>50</Percent>
<DateLastUpdate d>8/19/2008 8:00:00 AM</DateLastUpdated >
</xmldata>
'end of my tiny xml file

>

'my code in form load
Dim document As XmlDocument = New XmlDocument()
document.Load(S ystem.AppDomain .CurrentDomain. BaseDirectory &
"\settings.xml" ) 'this works

>

'how do I read Percent, IncreaseOrDecre ase and DateLastUpdated
from the xml file?
document...

>

'end of my code in form load

>

Are you using VB 2008 ? If so try cutting and pasting my code. The ... is
part of 2008's syntax with XDocument. Note that is XDocument, not
XMLDocument.

>
I am using:
Visual Basic 2005, Visual Studio 2005 Version 8.0.50727.42, WinXP SP2,

I finally got it to work. I don't know if this is the best way to do
it but at any rate it works. I put the code I ended up with below.
Now all I need to do is figure out how to write the settings to the
xml file when they close the form.

Private Sub frmFreightCostA djustment_Load( ByVal sender As
System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArg s) Handles MyBase.Load
'RETIEVE LAST SETTINGS FROM THE XML FILE. DEFAULT THE FORM TO
THE LAST SETTINGS USED.
Using reader As System.Xml.XmlR eader =
System.Xml.XmlR eader.Create("c :\w\settings.xm l")

reader.ReadToFo llowing("xmldat a")

reader.ReadToFo llowing("Percen t")
nudPercent.Valu e = reader.ReadElem entContentAsStr ing()
'set numeric up down control to the last percent used

reader.ReadToFo llowing("Increa seORDecrease")
If UCase(Trim(read er.ReadElementC ontentAsString( ))) =
"INCREASE" Then 'set increase or decrease radio button
radInc.Checked = True
Else
radDec.Checked = True
End If

reader.ReadToFo llowing("DateLa stUpdated")
lblLastUpd.Text = reader.ReadElem entContentAsStr ing()
'set the last date updated label to the last date the program was run

reader.Close()
End Using
End Sub

'here is what my settings.xml file looks like
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<xmldata>
<Percent>50</Percent>
<IncreaseORDecr ease>INCREASE</IncreaseORDecre ase>
<DateLastUpdate d>8/18/2008 8:00:00 AM</DateLastUpdated >
</xmldata>

[Andrew Morton]

Re: Remember Previous Settings for an Application

Mel wrote:

I finally got it to work. I don't know if this is the best way to do
it but at any rate it works. I put the code I ended up with below.
Now all I need to do is figure out how to write the settings to the
xml file when they close the form.
>
Private Sub frmFreightCostA djustment_Load( ByVal sender As
System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArg s) Handles MyBase.Load
'RETIEVE LAST SETTINGS FROM THE XML FILE. DEFAULT THE FORM TO
THE LAST SETTINGS USED.
Using reader As System.Xml.XmlR eader =
System.Xml.XmlR eader.Create("c :\w\settings.xm l")

You might want to store it somewhere that all users have access to, bearing
in mind Vista security.

From shlobj.h in the Windows Server 2003 SDK, regarding special folder
enumeration:

#define CSIDL_COMMON_AP PDATA 0x0023 // All
Users\Applicati on Data

'here is what my settings.xml file looks like
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<xmldata>
<Percent>50</Percent>
<IncreaseORDecr ease>INCREASE</IncreaseORDecre ase>
<DateLastUpdate d>8/18/2008 8:00:00 AM</DateLastUpdated >
</xmldata>

You appear to be in a country where there are at least 18 months in a
year... perhaps storing the date/time in a format like yyyyMMddThhmmss would
be a good idea.

HTH

Andrew