altering the registry

Hi,

I'm a java developer, but as of yesterday, it's expected of me to maintain and fix a massive VB prog. Anyway, I've been trying to run scripts to alter the registry. The code completes without error but the registries don't change. i found two paradigms to follow, but the result is the same in both cases. I'm using Access 2010 and VS 9.0.

Here is the method:

Code:

---

Private Function AllowWriting() As Boolean

Dim WshShell As Object
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
Dim oExec As Object

AllowWriting = False
 If Me.TestDBBox.value = True Then
 
        MsgBox "Proceeding with test database."
     
      'EXECUTE ONE OR THE OTHER. IN EITHER CASE, REG DOESN'T CHANGE
      ' WshShell.Run "regedit /S C:\ListWizard\RatsDBRegistryEntries\RWWprod.reg", 1, True
      ' Set oExec = WshShell.Exec("regedit /S C:\ListWizard\RatsDBRegistryEntries\RWWdev.reg")
     
        AllowWriting = True
 
    ElseIf Me.TestDBBox.value = False Then
        MsgBox "Proceeding with live database. Exercise judgement and discretion."
      ' WshShell.Run "regedit /S C:\ListWizard\RatsDBRegistryEntries\RWWprod.reg", 1, True
      ' Set oExec = WshShell.Exec("regedit /S C:\ListWizard\RatsDBRegistryEntries\RWWprod.reg")

        AllowWriting = True
    End If
End Function

---

Also, i tried numerous versions of this method:

Shell("C:\ListWizard\RatsDBRegistryEntries\RWWdev.reg", 1)

no matter what i put in the parameters, it throws a runtime error. But I think this Shell() is for .exe, so .reg will always fail, right?

Thank you

Code:

---

Imports Microsoft.Win32 'Needed to edit the registry.

'This line navigates to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop and changes the value of the Key "MYNEWVALUE" to "SomeValueIWantToSave"
'IF "MYNEWVALUE" does not exist it will be created.
Call Registry.SetValue("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop", "MYNEWVALUE", "SomeValueIWantToSave")

'The next two lines will delete the Key created above.
Dim toDel = My.Computer.Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey("Control Panel\Desktop", True)
toDel.DeleteSubKey("MYNEWVALUE")

---

Thanks for your reply. Can't I just run the reg script? There is more than one thing I want to change.

Here is one of the scripts i want to run:

This is RWWdev.reg

Code:

---

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RWW\RaTS]
"ConnStr"="Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Integrated Security=SSPI;Initial Catalog=RaTSTest;Data Source=sql1.realwinwin.local;"
"ConnStr2"="Provider=SQLOLEDB.1;Initial Catalog=RaTS;Data Source=sql1.realwinwin.local; Uid=rwwRaTS; pwd=RaTS1728;"
"CRPath"=""
"CRYear"="2010"
"CommandTimeout"=dword:00000014
"QB_Interface"=dword:00000001
"QB_TrustBankAccount"="TD Bank, Rebate Trust Acc"
"QB_TrustLiabilityAccount"="Rebate Trust, TD Bank"

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\RWW\RaTS\Project]
"TrackingNumber"="XXXXX"
"StatusId"=dword:00000007
"STCode"="WIPR"
"StatusReasonId"=dword:00000016
"SRCode"="NA"
"MilestoneId"=dword:00000001
"MSCode"="NEW"
"MSDescription"="Project Received by RWW"
"EstFUP"=dword:0000003c
"EstPFD"=dword:0000001e
"AutoDate"=dword:00000001
"EditComments"=dword:00000000

---

The file is a clickable. It prompts me if I want to change the registry, and after a confirmation, it makes the change.
When I execute this command: WshShell.Run "regedit C:\ListWizard\RatsDBRegistryEntries\RWWdev.reg", 1, True
The same prompt and confirmation occurs. But it doesn't actually change the registry. It says it is in the alert box, but it doesn't.
I don't want to code each one of these into the application. I just want to run this .reg file successfully!
thanks

Don't use shell.... Use Process.Start ...

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/libr....process.start

you'll probably want this specific one...
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/h6ak8zt5

the first parameter would the be the app you want to run (regedit.exe) and the second would be commandline parameters to pass to it (/s someregfile.reg)

-tg

This is all getting unnecessarily complicated. To run a .reg file it's ...

Process.Start(YourRegFilePathAndName)

That's it. Everything done.

As for values not 'registering', you did remember that some changes require you to log off and some restart Windows? If there's anything not in place after that then it's the .reg file which is at fault. If Windows said it merged the file then it merged the file.

Thank you all for you help. Problem solved!