reading ini files

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Ali.Z

Joined: 08 Jan 2018
Posts: 822

Ali.Z 12 Feb 2018, 09:53

so i have an opened handle to a file, got it by CreateFile.

however using ReadFile will read from the beginning of the file, while i dont want that .. i wanna read from specific row/columns only.

actually its .ini file, so im not sure how to achieve that.
thanks in advance.

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12 Feb 2018, 09:53

revolution
When all else fails, read the source

Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 20759
Location: In your JS exploiting you and your system

revolution 12 Feb 2018, 10:16

Since is is just plain text with no defined structure, you will have parse the file line-by-line or byte-by-byte.

But Windows does have API calls to read/write ini files. But be careful using them because Windows likes to copy them into the registry and expects you to delete the file.

12 Feb 2018, 10:16

Furs

Joined: 04 Mar 2016
Posts: 2689

Furs 12 Feb 2018, 12:58

revolution wrote:

But be careful using them because Windows likes to copy them into the registry

That's news to me. Such bad behavior, since when?

12 Feb 2018, 12:58

revolution
When all else fails, read the source

Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 20759
Location: In your JS exploiting you and your system

revolution 12 Feb 2018, 13:31

Furs wrote:

revolution wrote:
But be careful using them because Windows likes to copy them into the registry
That's news to me. Such bad behavior, since when?

Since always AFAIK.

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms724353%28v=vs.85%29.aspx wrote:

The system maps most .ini file references to the registry, using the mapping defined under the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\IniFileMapping

12 Feb 2018, 13:31

rugxulo

Joined: 09 Aug 2005
Posts: 2341
Location: Usono (aka, USA)

rugxulo 12 Feb 2018, 19:39

What about inih?

Quote:

inih (INI Not Invented Here) is a simple .INI file parser written in C. It's only a couple of pages of code, and it was designed to be small and simple, so it's good for embedded systems. It's also more or less compatible with Python's ConfigParser style of .INI files, including RFC 822-style multi-line syntax and name: value entries.

12 Feb 2018, 19:39

Ali.Z

Joined: 08 Jan 2018
Posts: 822

Ali.Z 13 Feb 2018, 06:25

GetPrivateProfileString - GetPrivateProfileInt

thanks rev for sharing the link, if i understood these functions well .. then i think this is what i need.
to read string and integer.

thanks again rev.

13 Feb 2018, 06:25

Furs

Joined: 04 Mar 2016
Posts: 2689

Furs 13 Feb 2018, 13:24

revolution wrote:

Since always AFAIK.

Eek. Never had it happen on "private" inis (not system ones) but the doc does say it could also be "copied", so that's bad. There goes more useful APIs to the trashbin, sigh (and the reason people use private .ini files is because they want to make a portable app, not CENTRALIZED settings bullshit like the registry).

13 Feb 2018, 13:24

revolution
When all else fails, read the source

Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 20759
Location: In your JS exploiting you and your system

revolution 13 Feb 2018, 14:18

Furs wrote:

revolution wrote:
Since always AFAIK.
Eek. Never had it happen on "private" inis (not system ones) but the doc does say it could also be "copied", so that's bad. There goes more useful APIs to the trashbin, sigh (and the reason people use private .ini files is because they want to make a portable app, not CENTRALIZED settings bullshit like the registry).

I've always avoided the ini handling APIs and done my own parsing. Because otherwise I could never feel sure which setting is taking precedence, the file or the registry. Especially when external tools, like a simple text editor, could be used to edit the ini file and it gets out of sync with the copy that Windows has.

13 Feb 2018, 14:18

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