GetPrivateProfileSection & ..., any easier method than mine?

Karl Blessing · May 26, 2000

This is what I have written so far, it does get back all the sections, and their values below them, which I soon hope to put each section into a collection, then the items under them. But I was curious, is there a possible shorter method than the one I have going? Option Explicit ' From the IniFile class. Private Declare Function GetPrivateProfileSectionNames _ Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetPrivateProfileSectionNamesA" _ (ByVal lpReturnBuffer As String, ByVal nSize As Long, _ ByVal lpName As String) As Long ' From the IniFile class. Private Declare Function GetPrivateProfileSection _ Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetPrivateProfileSectionA" _ (ByVal lpAppName As String, _ ByVal lpReturnedString As String, ByVal nSize As Long, _ ByVal lpName As String) As Long Private Declare Function WritePrivateProfileSection _ Lib "kernel32" Alias "WritePrivateProfileSectionA" _ (ByVal lpAppName As String, ByVal lpString As String, _ ByVal lpName As String) As Long ' From the IniSection class. Private Declare Function WritePrivateProfileString _ Lib "kernel32" Alias "WritePrivateProfileStringA" _ (ByVal lpApplicationName As String, _ ByVal lpKeyName As Any, ByVal lpString As Any, _ ByVal lpName As String) As Long Public Sub ReadData() Dim strSections As String Dim lngSize As Long Dim astrSections As Variant Dim astrItems As Variant Dim i As Integer Dim Items As Variant On Error GoTo HandleErrors Form1.Label1.Caption = "" ' In most cases, 1024 characters is enough, but if it's ' not, the code will double that and try again. lngSize = 1024 Do strSections = Space$(lngSize) lngSize = GetPrivateProfileSectionNames(strSections, lngSize, "C:\kbstuff\inistuff\Test.ini&quot

If lngSize = 0 Then ' No sections, so get out of here! GoTo ExitHere ElseIf lngSize = Len(strSections) - 2 Then ' That's how the API indicates you didn't allow ' enough space, but returning the size you originally ' specified, less 2. In that case, just double the ' buffer, and try again. lngSize = lngSize * 2 Else ' Trim the extra stuff. Use lngSize - 1 because ' there's an extra vbNullChar at the end of this ' string. strSections = Left$(strSections, lngSize - 1) Exit Do End If Loop ' Now strSections contains the section names, separated ' with vbNullChar. astrSections = Split(strSections, vbNullChar) For i = LBound(astrSections) To UBound(astrSections) - 1 ' Add the section to the collection, indicating that ' it's not a NEW section. That is, it's not being added ' after the file was read. That way, the code there can ' know to not bother looking for items when being added ' by code later. Form1.Label1.Caption = Form1.Label1.Caption & astrSections(i) & vbCrLf astrItems = GetValues(astrSections(i)) For Each Items In astrItems Form1.Label1.Caption = Form1.Label1.Caption & " " & Items & vbCrLf Next 'Call AddSection(astrSections(i), False) Next i ExitHere: Exit Sub HandleErrors: Err.Raise Err.Number, Err.Source, Err.Description End Sub Public Function GetValues(section As Variant) As Variant Dim strSections As String Dim lngSize As Long Dim astrSections As Variant Dim i As Integer On Error GoTo HandleErrors ' In most cases, 1024 characters is enough, but if it's ' not, the code will double that and try again. lngSize = 1024 Do strSections = Space$(lngSize) lngSize = GetPrivateProfileSection(section, strSections, lngSize, "C:\kbstuff\inistuff\Test.ini&quot

If lngSize = 0 Then ' No sections, so get out of here! GoTo ExitHere ElseIf lngSize = Len(strSections) - 2 Then ' That's how the API indicates you didn't allow ' enough space, but returning the size you originally ' specified, less 2. In that case, just double the ' buffer, and try again. lngSize = lngSize * 2 Else ' Trim the extra stuff. Use lngSize - 1 because ' there's an extra vbNullChar at the end of this ' string. strSections = Left$(strSections, lngSize - 1) Exit Do End If Loop ' Now strSections contains the section names, separated ' with vbNullChar. astrSections = Split(strSections, vbNullChar) GetValues = astrSections ExitHere: Exit Function HandleErrors: Err.Raise Err.Number, Err.Source, Err.Description End Function Karl <a href=mailto:kb244@kb244.8m.com>kb244@kb244.8m.com</a> <a href=

http://kb244.8m.com>

</a> Experienced in , or have messed with : VC++, Borland C++ Builder, VJ++6(starting),VB-Dos, VB1 thru VB6, Delphi 3 pro, Borland C++ 3(DOS), Borland C++ 4.5, HTML,Visual InterDev 6, ASP(WebProgramming), QBasic(least i didnt start with COBOL)

Karl Blessing · May 26, 2000

this is my new Module code after adding in some collections (Ini is the main holder of 'Section' which holds a bunch of 'Items') Option Explicit Public Ini As New IniFile Private Declare Function GetPrivateProfileSectionNames _   Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetPrivateProfileSectionNamesA" _   (ByVal lpReturnBuffer As String, ByVal nSize As Long, _   ByVal lpName As String) As Long Private Declare Function GetPrivateProfileSection _   Lib "kernel32" Alias "GetPrivateProfileSectionA" _   (ByVal lpAppName As String, _   ByVal lpReturnedString As String, ByVal nSize As Long, _   ByVal lpName As String) As Long Private Declare Function WritePrivateProfileSection _   Lib "kernel32" Alias "WritePrivateProfileSectionA" _   (ByVal lpAppName As String, ByVal lpString As String, _   ByVal lpName As String) As Long Private Declare Function WritePrivateProfileString _   Lib "kernel32" Alias "WritePrivateProfileStringA" _   (ByVal lpApplicationName As String, _   ByVal lpKeyName As Any, ByVal lpString As Any, _   ByVal lpName As String) As Long Public Sub ReadData()   Dim strSections As String, lngSize As Long, astrSections As Variant, astrItems As Variant, i As Integer, Items As Variant   Dim ptrSec As New Section   Dim ptrItm As New Items   On Error GoTo HandleErrors    Form1.Label1.Caption = ""   lngSize = 1024   Do     strSections = Space$(lngSize)     lngSize = GetPrivateProfileSectionNames(strSections, lngSize, "C:\kbstuff\inistuff\Test.ini&quot

If lngSize = 0 Then       GoTo ExitHere     ElseIf lngSize = Len(strSections) - 2 Then       lngSize = lngSize * 2     Else       strSections = Left$(strSections, lngSize - 1)       Exit Do     End If   Loop   astrSections = Split(strSections, vbNullChar)   For i = LBound(astrSections) To UBound(astrSections) - 1       ptrSec.Name = astrSections(i)              astrItems = GetValues(astrSections(i))       For Each Items In astrItems          ptrItm.Name = Items          ptrSec.Items.Add ptrItm, ptrSec.Name & ptrItm.Name          Set ptrItm = New Items       Next       Ini.Section.Add ptrSec, ptrSec.Name       Set ptrSec = New Section   Next i ExitHere:   Exit Sub HandleErrors:   Err.Raise Err.Number, Err.Source, Err.Description End Sub Public Function GetValues(Section As Variant) As Variant   Dim strSections As String   Dim lngSize As Long   Dim astrSections As Variant   Dim i As Integer   On Error GoTo HandleErrors   lngSize = 1024   Do     strSections = Space$(lngSize)     lngSize = GetPrivateProfileSection(Section, strSections, lngSize, "C:\kbstuff\inistuff\Test.ini&quot

If lngSize = 0 Then       GoTo ExitHere     ElseIf lngSize = Len(strSections) - 2 Then       lngSize = lngSize * 2     Else       strSections = Left$(strSections, lngSize - 1)       Exit Do     End If   Loop   astrSections = Split(strSections, vbNullChar)   GetValues = astrSections ExitHere:   Exit Function HandleErrors:   Err.Raise Err.Number, Err.Source, Err.Description End Function Public Sub CleanUpIni() Dim Num As Integer Dim TmpSec As Section, TmpItm As Items For Each TmpSec In Ini.Section     For Each TmpItm In TmpSec.Items         TmpSec.Items.Remove TmpSec.Name & TmpItm.Name     Next     Ini.Section.Remove TmpSec.Name Next End Sub Ok so good so far, but I am still in need of being able to make the code much smaller, rather than a bunch of loops, with checks for size. Karl <a href=mailto:kb244@kb244.8m.com>kb244@kb244.8m.com</a> <a href=

http://kb244.8m.com>

</a> Experienced in , or have messed with : VC++, Borland C++ Builder, VJ++6(starting),VB-Dos, VB1 thru VB6, Delphi 3 pro, Borland C++ 3(DOS), Borland C++ 4.5, HTML,Visual InterDev 6, ASP(WebProgramming), QBasic(least i didnt start with COBOL)

MikeLacey · May 28, 2000

Hi Karl, I was delighted when I didn't have to do the whole .ini file thing anymore. I just use GetSetting() and SaveSetting() which read and write the registry nice and safely. Is there some reason you can't use the Registry? Mike <a href=mailto:Mike_Lacey@Cargill.Com>Mike_Lacey@Cargill.Com</a> <a href=

http://www.cargill.com/>

Cargill's Corporate Web Site</a> Please don't send me email questions without posting them in Tek-Tips as well. Better yet -- Post the question in Tek-Tips and send me a note saying "Have a look at so-and-so in the thingy forum would you?"

Karl Blessing · May 28, 2000

Because you dont ship registry settings on a distributed instalation file, its better to keep the instalation/upgrade setting in a file that goes with the shipment, rather than installing something to the registry on every new persons machine, and an ini file is much more modifiable for the WebSaras application developers (I didnt write WebSaras which is a bunch of ASP, ActiveX, etc, basically a web application, I just writing the instalation program) , much easier for them and its much easier for me to debug with tons of data. Karl <a href=mailto:kb244@kb244.8m.com>kb244@kb244.8m.com</a> <a href=

http://kb244.8m.com>

</a> Experienced in , or have messed with : VC++, Borland C++ Builder, VJ++6(starting),VB-Dos, VB1 thru VB6, Delphi 3 pro, Borland C++ 3(DOS), Borland C++ 4.5, HTML,Visual InterDev 6, ASP(WebProgramming), QBasic(least i didnt start with COBOL)

MikeLacey · May 29, 2000

"Because you dont ship registry settings on a distributed instalation file" I do. Mike <a href=mailto:Mike_Lacey@Cargill.Com>Mike_Lacey@Cargill.Com</a> <a href=

http://www.cargill.com/>

Cargill's Corporate Web Site</a> Please don't send me email questions without posting them in Tek-Tips as well. Better yet -- Post the question in Tek-Tips and send me a note saying "Have a look at so-and-so in the thingy forum would you?" My home email is michael.j.lacey@ntlworld.com<br

Karl Blessing · May 29, 2000

I would, if the other guys wanted to modify their settings that way, but instead they like the idea of using an ini file, easier for them to edit(according to them). Karl <a href=mailto:kb244@kb244.8m.com>kb244@kb244.8m.com</a> <a href=

http://kb244.8m.com>

</a> Experienced in , or have messed with : VC++, Borland C++ Builder, VJ++6(starting),VB-Dos, VB1 thru VB6, Delphi 3 pro, Borland C++ 3(DOS), Borland C++ 4.5, HTML,Visual InterDev 6, ASP(WebProgramming), QBasic(least i didnt start with COBOL)

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GetPrivateProfileSection & ..., any easier method than mine?

Karl Blessing

Programmer

Karl Blessing

Programmer

MikeLacey

MIS

Karl Blessing

Programmer

MikeLacey

MIS

Karl Blessing

Programmer

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