Read settings from a ini file 1

[Antithott]

Hi,

Possibly this question is very simple, but im looking for the best way to read settings from a ini file. I can do it by put each setting on a new line, but i want to read a ini file which contains sections, Example :

[smtp]
Server =

http://www.smtp.com

User = test
Password = test

[database]
address = C:\database.mdb

How would i search for the specific section of the ini file, and then read the lines only for that section?

- Antithott

 

[Borvik]

Well I'm not sure if what I've got for you covers your exact question (read only lines from section), but I found an IniReader class quite some time ago that worked really nice for reading/writing ini files.

http://www.mentalis.org/soft/class.qpx?id=6

However I would recommend XML to store program settings as a better file format.

 

[ThatRickGuy]

I use an XML file with a key-value pair. That way I can use the dataset.readxml and dataset.writexml to open and save the settings. And with a two column table (key and value) you can easily select the value that you are looking for.

-Rick

VB.Net Forum forum796 forum855 ASP.NET Forum
I believe in killer coding ninja monkeys.

 

[Antithott]

thanks for the replies both of you, if a XML file is the best way to go i think ill try that one out.

Would you be able to help me out with a simple example?

Else ill try read up on it.

 

[ThatRickGuy]

You'll likely want to make this slightly more robust (add exception handling, checking for and preventing multiple key values, etc...) but here is a quick ini file reader/writer:

public function GetSetting(Key as string) as string
  dim ReturnVal as string = string.emptry
  dim dsSettings as new dataset
  if system.io.file.exists("Settings.ini") then _
    dsSettings.readxml("Settings.ini")

  dim dr() = dssettings.tables(0).select("Key = '" & key & "'")
  if dr.length = 1 then
    returnVal = dr(0)("Value")
  end if
end function

public sub SetSetting(Key as string, Value as string)
  dim dsSettigns as new dataset
  if system.io.file.exists("Settings.ini") then 
    dsSettings.readxml("Settings.ini")
  else
    dssettings.tables.add("Settings")
    dssettings.tables(0).columns.add("Key",gettype(string))
    dssettings.tables(0).columns.add("Value",gettype(string))
  end if

  dim dr() = dssettings.tables(0).select("Key = '" & key & "'")
  if dr.length = 1 then
    dr(0)("Value") = value
  else
    dim drSetting as datarow = dssettings.table(0).newrow
    drSetting("Key") = key
    drSetting("Value") = value
    dsSetting.Table(0).rows.add(drsetting)
  end if
  dssetting.writeXML("Settings.ini")
end sub

I did not compile this code, so it likely has a handful of error, but it should be enough to get you onto the right path.

-Rick

VB.Net Forum forum796 forum855 ASP.NET Forum
I believe in killer coding ninja monkeys.

 

[chiph]

We use INI files, and we found NIni from Sourceforge.net to work well for us.

Chip H.


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