[RESOLVED] Reading Data From Lines of .ini File

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Here's what i've got so far, i've written all of the data that i'm going to put into my config file, however i'm having trouble reading the specific string values that I need from that ini file. The parts of the ini lines I want to get are the values in between the ' ' in value='____'.

I've tried using streamreader a couple things but i'm having trouble figuring that out. I need to parse each line of the ini file to get that value in between the single quotations, so that I can set the value for my richtextbox background and text color as well as a few other things that i've set up in my notepad including tab spacing and so on. Help would be much appreciated because lots of these different values need to be converted from a string value to integers, and boolean values as well. (4 of them, the rest of them don't have to be changed because they are already string values when my application reads them to determine it's application load settings.

EDIT: I just noticed in the preview that this is from the version of the app where I had streamwriter write "______ value=" & Something to a file. lol some of the (')s are still in this version, so please excuse that little part. I had them in, but took them out so that I could trim data to get a value easier, but I want to use (')s hopefully when all is said and done.

For example, just to restate what I want - in the ini file it will read
[setting name] value='VALUE'

I want to be able to "get" the string value of "VALUE" within the ini file between the 2 single quotations ' & '.

Thanks :)

Bumping this thread to get some help on the subject.

there are more elegant or faster ways to do it, but here is an idea:

If the line always ends with the second '

after you readln the each line on the file:

newString = Mid(originalString, InStr(originalString, "'"), Len(originalString)-InStr(originalString, "'")-1)

note that "'" is a single cuotation between two doubles.

InStr will find the location of the first appearance of ' on the old string.
Mid will return the middle part of the old string, begining on the second parameter, with length of the third
On the third paramenter i am taking the length of the old string - the position of the first ' to eliminate all that part, -1 to take care of the last '

wow, that actually should work in my case. Thanks for putting it in a way that I could understand too, most people just give me the code lol, but I like to learn as well. +1 for you :)

I just need to figure out how to get it to read a specific line that I want it to read so that I know what value i'm getting from the line i'm 'trimming' using that code. That's one part that I don't understand, If I did I would have used a similar trimming method like you explained though.

I want to make sure that the lines i'm trimming, I know what they are so that I can use those values to define the configuration for the right settings.

ConfigFile.ReadLine("[Word Wrap] value='" & CWordWrap & "'")

I have something like that, but how to I make it so that it will read the line that begins with [word wrap]? and not another config line (setting)

CWordWrap will vary, so i'm unsure on how I input that into readline.

If you want to know the field name, like "Editor Text Color" or "Font Type" then use similar code I showed you but look for the "[" and "]" using the InStr function.

Alright, i'll try it :)

Actually again, if [ is always the first character you only need to search for the second.

Code:

---

newString = Mid(oldString, 2, InStr(oldString, "]")-1)

---

Starting at 2 to avoid the [, maybe you would need to subtract 2 to the InStr if you are getting the ] included in the result.

Is there anything wrong with my code?

If

Code:

---

SettingName = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "["), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "]") - 1)

---

Is wrong then I could see how that would mess things up.

vb Code:

Private Sub LoadDefaultConfig()
 
        Dim ConfigFile As New StreamReader("Config.ini")
 
 
        Dim SettingName As String
 
        Dim NewString As String
        Dim OriginalString As String = ConfigFile.ReadLine
 
        Dim CBColor As String
        Dim CTColor As String
        Dim CFormTitleColor As String
        Dim CTMenuColor As String
        Dim CBMenuColor As String
        Dim CFontType As String
        Dim CFontSize As String
        Dim CTabSpacer As String
        Dim CDragDrop As String
        Dim COnTop As String
        Dim CWordWrap As String
 
        SettingName = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "["), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "]") - 1)
 
        If SettingName = "Editor Text Color" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CTColor = NewString
            RichTextBox1.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CTColor)
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Editor Background Color" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CBColor = NewString
            RichTextBox1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CBColor)
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Application Title Color" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CFormTitleColor = NewString
            Label1.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CFormTitleColor)
            TitleFilename.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CFormTitleColor)
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Top Menu Color" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CTMenuColor = NewString
            MenuStrip1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CTMenuColor)
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Bottom Status Menu Color" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CBMenuColor = NewString
            StatusStrip1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CBMenuColor)
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Font Type" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CFontType = NewString
            RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, CFontType)
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Font Size" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CFontSize = NewString
            RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, CFontSize)
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Tab Spacing Size" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CTabSpacer = NewString
            FormTabs.NumericUpDown1.Value = CTabSpacer
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Drag Drop Files" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CDragDrop = NewString
            RichTextBox1.AllowDrop = CDragDrop
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Always On Top" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            COnTop = NewString
            Me.TopMost = COnTop
        End If
 
        If SettingName = "Word Wrap" Then
            NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)
            CWordWrap = NewString
            RichTextBox1.WordWrap = CWordWrap
        End If
 
        ConfigFile.Close()
 
 
 
    End Sub

I tried debugging by returning the value of an example value using a msgbox but it wouldn't return anything after pressing the loaddefault button, so i'm assuming it's not reading any of those values, meaning my line of code for SettingName isn't quite right

Off the top I see that you do not loop through all the lines but only

Dim OriginalString As String = ConfigFile.ReadLine

For structure purposes try using CASE SELECT instead of all those IF statements

If you want to debug its better to put a Break line (F9) and then, once stopped, step through the code with F8 using the watch or local windows to see the values of variables.

Specially look after the statement

SettingName = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "["), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "]") - 1)

to see if SettingName is getting the correct trimmings

SettingName isn't returning any string value in the bottom for the data it gives you. It says the String is "Nothing"

Forgot to loop through the lines though, but i'll revert the if statements to case select.

vb.net Code:

Private Sub LoadDefaultConfig()         
Dim ConfigFile As New StreamReader("Config.ini")          
Dim SettingName As String         
Dim NewString As String        
Dim OriginalString As String
 
Dim CBColor As String        
Dim CTColor As String        
Dim CFormTitleColor As String        
Dim CTMenuColor As String        
Dim CBMenuColor As String        
Dim CFontType As String        
Dim CFontSize As String        
Dim CTabSpacer As String        
Dim CDragDrop As String        
Dim COnTop As String        
Dim CWordWrap As String         
 
SettingName = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "["), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "]") - 1)         
 
     Do
          OriginalString = ConfigFile.ReadLine()
          NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)            
 
          Select Case NewString
               Case "Editor Text Color" 
                    CTColor = NewString            
                    RichTextBox1.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CTColor)
               Case "Editor Background Color"
                    CBColor = NewString            RichTextBox1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CBColor)
.
.
.
          End Select
 
     Loop Until OriginalString Is Nothing
 
.
.
.

This is just a guideline. Still think there is much more optimization possible but this is the idea. Keep the .readline inside the loop

Code to parse the following line:

Code:

---

Dim line As String = "[Variable Name] value='test'"

---

Get the variable name:

Code:

---

Dim varname As String = line.Remove(0, line.IndexOf("[") + 1)
varname = varname.Substring(0, varname.IndexOf("]"))

---

Get the value (only check using the ' signs):

Code:

---

Dim value1 As String = line.Remove(0, line.IndexOf("'") + 1)
value1 = value1.Substring(0, value1.IndexOf("'"))

---

Get the value (match value= as well):

Code:

---

Dim value2 As String = line.Remove(0, line.IndexOf("value=") + 6).Trim("'").Trim()

---

You can try to parse everything using a single line, but the risk exists you forget to subtract the start index of the length to get the substring (mid) value.

Example I quickly wrote:

vb Code:

Public Class Configuration
        Sub New(ByVal SettingsFile As String)
            Me.Load(SettingsFile)
        End Sub
 
        Public Sub Load(ByVal SettingsFile As String)
            If System.IO.File.Exists(SettingsFile) Then
                Try
                    Dim reader As New System.IO.StreamReader(SettingsFile)
                    Do While reader.Peek <> -1
                        Dim textline As String = reader.ReadLine
                        'verify the line is valid
                        If textline.Contains("[") AndAlso textline.Contains("'") Then
                            Dim settingname As String = textline.Remove(0, textline.IndexOf("[") + 1)
                            settingname = settingname.Substring(0, settingname.IndexOf("]"))
                            Dim value As String = textline.Remove(0, textline.IndexOf("value=") + 6).Trim("'").Trim()
 
                            'set the correct variable based on the name
                            Select Case settingname.ToLower
                                Case "editor text color"
                                    Me.CTColor = value
                                Case "editor background color"
                                    Me.CBColor = value
                                Case "application title color"
                                    Me.CFormTitleColor = value
                                Case "top menu color"
                                    Me.CTMenuColor = value
                                Case "bottom status menu color"
                                    Me.CBMenuColor = value
                                Case "font type"
                                    Me.CFontType = value
                                Case "font size"
                                    Me.CFontSize = value
                                Case "tab spacing size"
                                    Me.CTabSpacer = value
                                Case "drag drop files"
                                    Me.CDragDrop = value
                                Case "always on top"
                                    Me.COnTop = value
                                Case "word wrap"
                                    Me.CWordWrap = value
                                Case Else
                                    Debug.WriteLine("Setting not found: " & settingname & " with value " & value)
                            End Select
                        End If
                    Loop
                    reader.Close()
                Catch ex As Exception
                    Debug.WriteLine(ex.Message)
                End Try
            End If
        End Sub
 
        Public CBColor As String
        Public CTColor As String
        Public CFormTitleColor As String
        Public CTMenuColor As String
        Public CBMenuColor As String
        Public CFontType As String
        Public CFontSize As String
        Public CTabSpacer As String
        Public CDragDrop As String
        Public COnTop As String
        Public CWordWrap As String
    End Class

Code:

---

Dim c As New Configuration("Config.ini")

---

I really recommend you use a class to store you configuration information. It makes your code look a lot better, especially if you have to reload your settings multiple times during runtime.

Alternatively you could add a single hashtable and write key/value pairs to it. This way it would work with any variable:

Code:

---

                    Table = New Hashtable()
                    Dim reader As New System.IO.StreamReader(SettingsFile)
                    Do While reader.Peek <> -1
                        Dim textline As String = reader.ReadLine
                        'verify the line is valid
                        If textline.Contains("[") AndAlso textline.Contains("'") Then
                            Dim settingname As String = textline.Remove(0, textline.IndexOf("[") + 1)
                            settingname = settingname.Substring(0, settingname.IndexOf("]"))
                            Dim value As String = textline.Remove(0, textline.IndexOf("value=") + 6).Trim("'").Trim()

                            Table.Add(settingname, value)
                        End If
                    Loop
                    reader.Close()

---

Code:

---

Dim CTextColor As String = Table.Item("Editor Text Color")

---

EDIT

Kaliman your code has one issue: If the reader reaches the end another line is read; thus at least one "Nothing" line is read (by user code, not the reader) which could cause null reference exceptions.
You'd have to add another If block around it checking if the newly read line is nothing. It makes code longer, thus I like to stick with the Peek method. :)

Code:

---

    Do
          OriginalString = ConfigFile.ReadLine()
          If OriginalString Is Nothing Then
              Exit Do
          Else
              NewString = Mid(OriginalString, InStr(OriginalString, "'"), Len(OriginalString) - InStr(OriginalString, "'") - 1)         
              Select Case NewString
                    Case "Editor Text Color"
                        CTColor = NewString         
                        RichTextBox1.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CTColor)
                    Case "Editor Background Color"
                        CBColor = NewString
                        RichTextBox1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CBColor)

              End Select
          End If
    Loop

---

I might as well add my two cents

you could use For loops:

Code:

---

Dim sLineOfText As String = ""
        Dim bValueFound As Boolean = False

        Dim iSingleQuoteIndex As Integer = 0
        Dim sValue As String = ""
        Dim sFileName As String = ""
        If OpenFileDialog1.ShowDialog() = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then



            sFileName = OpenFileDialog1.FileName()

            Dim sr As System.IO.StreamReader = New System.IO.StreamReader(sFileName)

            Do While sr.Peek >= 0
                sLineOfText = sr.ReadLine
                bValueFound = False 'set flag to false

                For x As Integer = 0 To sLineOfText.Length
                    If CBool(sLineOfText.IndexOf("'")) Then '
                        iSingleQuoteIndex = sLineOfText.IndexOf("'") '
                        sValue = sLineOfText.Substring(iSingleQuoteIndex + 1) '

                        For y As Integer = 0 To sValue.Length '

                            If CBool(sValue.IndexOf("'")) Then '
                                sValue = sLineOfText.Substring(iSingleQuoteIndex + 1, sValue.IndexOf("'")) '
                                '

                                bValueFound = True
                                Debug.Print(sValue)
                                Exit For
                            End If
                        Next
                    End If

                    If bValueFound Then Exit For 'reset flag for jumping out this For/Next and back into the Do loop, if it is still going
                Next
            Loop

            sr.Close()


        End If

---

or 2 If Statements:

Code:

---

  Dim sLineOfText As String = ""
        Dim iSingleQuoteIndex1 As Integer = 0
        Dim iSingleQuoteIndex2 As Integer = 0
        Dim sValue As String = ""
        Dim sFileName As String = ""
        If OpenFileDialog1.ShowDialog() = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then

            sFileName = OpenFileDialog1.FileName()

            Dim sr As System.IO.StreamReader = New System.IO.StreamReader(sFileName)

            Do While sr.Peek >= 0
                sLineOfText = sr.ReadLine


                If sLineOfText.Contains("'") Then '
                    iSingleQuoteIndex1 = sLineOfText.IndexOf("'") '
                    sValue = sLineOfText.Substring(iSingleQuoteIndex1 + 1) '
                    If sValue.Contains("'") Then
                        iSingleQuoteIndex2 = sValue.IndexOf("'")
                        sValue = sLineOfText.Substring(iSingleQuoteIndex1 + 1, iSingleQuoteIndex2) '


                        Debug.Print(sValue)

                    End If

                End If

            Loop

            sr.Close()


        End If

---

I'm not using openfiledialog though.

bergerkiller, your information really helped after trying several different methods, I think I finally understand what I was doing wrong from the start. I had the value's and the setting name coming out fine. I tested using a quick msgbox to get the values of both, but your code narrows mine down a bit more I think.

Code:

---

Case "tab spacing size"
Me.CTabSpacer = value

---

That I actually have set to FormTabs instead of me because it's not on the same form.

And one more thing, could I not use:

Code:

---

Do While ConfigFile.ReadLine.StartsWith("[")

---

The code I have now still doesn't seem to work. It only loops through the first setting for some reason, at least it appears that way... I just want it in a sub for now so I can understand it first.

vb Code:

Private Sub LoadDefaultConfig()
 
        Dim ConfigFile As New StreamReader("Config.ini")
        Dim OriginalString As String = ConfigFile.ReadLine()
 
        Dim CBColor As String
        Dim CTColor As String
        Dim CFormTitleColor As String
        Dim CTMenuColor As String
        Dim CBMenuColor As String
        Dim CFontType As String
        Dim CFontSize As String
        Dim CTabSpacer As Integer
        Dim CDragDrop As Boolean
        Dim COnTop As Boolean
        Dim CWordWrap As Boolean
        Try
            Do While ConfigFile.ReadLine.StartsWith("[")
 
                If OriginalString.Contains("[") AndAlso OriginalString.Contains("'") Then
                    'Get the value of the Setting Name
                    Dim SettingName As String = OriginalString.Remove(0, OriginalString.IndexOf("[") + 1)
                    SettingName = SettingName.Substring(0, SettingName.IndexOf("]"))
                    'Get the value of the Setting Name's  configuration Value
                    Dim Value As String = OriginalString.Remove(0, OriginalString.IndexOf("value=") + 6).Trim("'").Trim()
 
                    Select Case SettingName.ToLower
                        Case "Editor Text Color"
                            CTColor = Value
                            Me.RichTextBox1.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CTColor)
                        Case "Editor Background Color"
                            CBColor = Value
                            Me.RichTextBox1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CBColor)
                        Case "Application Title Color"
                            CFormTitleColor = Value
                            Me.Label1.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CFormTitleColor)
                            Me.TitleFilename.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CFormTitleColor)
                        Case "Top Menu Color"
                            CTMenuColor = Value
                            Me.MenuStrip1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CTMenuColor)
                        Case "Bottom Status Menu Color"
                            CBMenuColor = Value
                            Me.StatusStrip1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CBMenuColor)
                        Case "Font Type"
                            CFontType = Value
                            Me.RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, CFontType)
                        Case "Font Size"
                            CFontSize = Value
                            Me.RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, CFontSize)
                        Case "Tab Spacing Size"
                            CTabSpacer = Value
                            FormTabs.NumericUpDown1.Value = CTabSpacer
                        Case "Drag Drop Files"
                            CDragDrop = Value
                            Me.RichTextBox1.AllowDrop = CDragDrop
                        Case "Always On Top"
                            COnTop = Value
                            Me.TopMost = Value
                        Case "Word Wrap"
                            CWordWrap = Value
                            Me.RichTextBox1.WordWrap = Value
                        Case Else
                            Debug.WriteLine("Setting not found: " & SettingName & " with the value '" & Value & "'")
                    End Select
 
                End If
 
            Loop
 
            ConfigFile.Close()
        Catch ex As Exception
            Debug.WriteLine(ex.Message)
        End Try
 
    End Sub

Hi Ace, the opendialog was mainly for my benefit to make quit coding to post for you ;)

I'm looking at this real quick:

Code:

---

Select Case SettingName.ToLower
                        Case "Editor Text Color"

---

The Case to test for would be
"editor text color"

wouldn't it?
-
edit:
Place

Code:

---

Dim OriginalString As String = ""

---

at top where you initialize it.
-

Place

Code:

---

OriginalString = ConfigFile.ReadLine

---

within the Do loop at top.

-
This will feed the next line into originalString
Hope that
helps :)

Seems like you are doing much more than necessary when there is My.Settings to store, retrieve and save options or use an XML configuration file to store, retrieve and save options.

I agree with you on that KEvin, when it involves many settings like this, and I am sure it will grow -lol, xml is nice, clean and fast.
My.settings was like a godsend when I found that when .Net came out.
-
It's fun too, though, to search through the strings like Ace is doing.

I like it all.
I'm too easy
:)

I started using an xml app.config file, but I want to be able to use a .ini file. I don't want to use the app settings either, I want a settings file seperate from the application as a .ini file extension to get the settings as an older method of configuration.

And yes, I did remove the ToLower so that it didn't read only lower case strings, but I didn't know that got posted with the first code of mine I posted lol, my fault. proneal you fixed the code finally though lol, After doing that it finally went through the lines of my .ini file, thanks :)

I spent way too long on this part of my application, through trying different methods and troubleshooting. For what I want the settings to do though, a .ini file seems more appropriate since xml isn't designed to be written to from what i've heard. xml was also invented so it could handle more advanced data for an application's configuration, but for what i'm using it for I don't see a need to use it. I could have used application settings, but I want a more "visual" configuration instead. You can view all of the settings directly from the .ini file in this case, and I can create more setting's files If I wanted to, or add them all onto the same one i'm creating with a little bit of work.

It's your program Ace.
YOU call the shots, lol ;)
Fun to code, aint it..
No matter which way/method -when it works, it makes life that much grander.
I'm pathetic, i know
:p
-
Glad you got it going Ace.
:thumb:

I love coding though, the feeling after finally figuring something out is good. I just don't like it when I'm stuck after a while of trying different methods and troubleshooting.

lol for some reason though I need to figure out why my loop is checking every second line. I thought it wasn't validating some lines, until I checked the ini file itself, and I figured out that the pattern it was making was skipping every second line. So I still have a minor problem, but i'm that much closer....

My code so far:

vb Code:

'Sets all of the defaults from the configuration file
    Private Sub LoadDefaultConfig()
 
        Dim ConfigFile As New StreamReader("Config.ini")
 
        'Dim OriginalString As String = ConfigFile.ReadLine()
        Dim OriginalString As String = ""
 
        Dim CBColor As String
        Dim CTColor As String
        Dim CFormTitleColor As String
        Dim CTMenuColor As String
        Dim CBMenuColor As String
        Dim CFontType As String
        Dim CFontSize As String
        Dim CTabSpacer As String
        Dim CDragDrop As String
        Dim COnTop As String
        Dim CWordWrap As String
 
        Try
            Do Until Not ConfigFile.ReadLine.StartsWith("[")
                OriginalString = ConfigFile.ReadLine
 
                If OriginalString.Contains("[") AndAlso OriginalString.Contains("'") Then
                    'Get the value of the Setting Name
                    Dim SettingName As String = OriginalString.Remove(0, OriginalString.IndexOf("[") + 1)
                    SettingName = SettingName.Substring(0, SettingName.IndexOf("]"))
                    'Get the value of the Setting Name's  configuration Value
                    Dim Value As String = OriginalString.Remove(0, OriginalString.IndexOf("value=") + 6).Trim("'").Trim()
 
                    MsgBox(SettingName & ": " & Value)
 
                    Select Case SettingName
                        Case "Editor Text Color"
                            CTColor = Value
                            Me.RichTextBox1.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CTColor)
 
                        Case "Editor Background Color"
                            CBColor = Value
                            Me.RichTextBox1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CBColor)
 
                        Case "Application Title Color"
                            CFormTitleColor = Value
                            Me.Label1.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CFormTitleColor)
                            Me.TitleFilename.ForeColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CFormTitleColor)
 
                        Case "Top Menu Color"
                            CTMenuColor = Value
                            Me.MenuStrip1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CTMenuColor)
 
                        Case "Bottom Status Menu Color"
                            CBMenuColor = Value
                            Me.StatusStrip1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml(CBMenuColor)
 
                        Case "Font Type"
                            CFontType = Value
                            'Me.RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, CFontType)
 
                        Case "Font Size"
                            CFontSize = Value
                            'Me.RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, CFontSize)
 
                        Case "Tab Spacing Size"
                            CTabSpacer = CInt(Value)
                            'FormTabs.NumericUpDown1.Value = CTabSpacer
 
                        Case "Drag Drop Files"
                            CDragDrop = CBool(Value)
                            'Me.RichTextBox1.AllowDrop = CDragDrop
 
                        Case "Always On Top"
                            COnTop = CBool(Value)
                            'Me.TopMost = COnTop
 
                        Case "Word Wrap"
                            CWordWrap = CBool(Value)
                            'Me.RichTextBox1.WordWrap = CWordWrap
                        Case Else
                            Debug.WriteLine("Setting not found: " & SettingName & " with the value '" & Value & "'")
                    End Select
                End If
 
            Loop
 
        Catch ex As Exception
            MsgBox(ex.Message)
        End Try
        ConfigFile.Close()
    End Sub

I never understand the mycode for the vbcode, whenever I use [ HIGHLIGHT ][ /HIGHLIGHT ] as the surrounding brackets for my code it just turns my code into a bunch of red text, yet when I use the button for VBCode, and put my code between those exact same 2 mycodes, it works...

Edit: now that i'm looking at this code, I think the problem is that with the trim, it's moving the second line of text beside the line is just read by removing a trailing space, and so when it moves to the next line, the line after the one it's suppose to read gets moved up because the second line gets bumped to the same line as the setting it just read. I'll edit and test it out.

Update: Nope, my theory was incorrect, I tried not using the trim function and tried

Code:

---

Dim Something As String = OriginalString.Remove(0, OriginalString.IndexOf("value=") + 6)
Dim Value As String = Something.Replace("'", "")

---

But nothing changed, still reads every second line in the .ini.... If I ever get this figured out i'll provide a download link for my program if it doesn't go against any rules here for everyone lol.

hmm I should also fix my font size falue and convert it to Single, so that that .25 doesn't show up. never noticed it before, I just figured that I got the saving the .ini file part down that I'd move onto the read part.

Finally!! got it :)

solution:

Code:

---

While Not ConfigFile.EndOfStream

---

Using a while loop instead.

One problem i'm having now:

Code:

---

Case "Font Size"
                            CFontSize = CSng(Value)
                            'Me.RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, CFontSize)
                            Me.RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, CFontSize)

                        Case "Font Type"
                            CFontType = Value
                            'Me.RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, CFontType)
                            Me.RichTextBox1.Font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, FontName.CfontType)

---

The code needed to define a new font type is Richtextbox.font = New System.Drawing.Font(RichTextBox1.Text, FONTSIZE, FONTTYPE)

And since I dont have a font size as a value, how can I put in a font type without having that value within that case? When I debug it, it keeps saying that it cannot convert "courier new" to single, so I get the value of the font type, but it's trying to parse it as data for the font size.

I couldn't put 2 values into the .ini file on the same line to get them both at once or it would mess up all of the trimming to get my settings variable and my values.

Haven't had time to open the IDE and try things out for you.
It might be alright to initialize all these variables with DEFAULT values.
This is good because you wouldn't have to carry the ini with your package setup.
The program could write the ini file on it's first start up. with all the default values.
Then it can just replace the values as needed with the Options/Settings form- at some later time when User decides to change things up.
-
All the best to you Ace! :)

Ahh, lol you and me think alike :) Thats the way I just finished coding it out. I just let it run LoadDefaultConfig() on form load, and if the file used for loading the default config doesn't exist (Config.ini)... Then it will load the program with the applications default settings, and create that ini file with the default app settings for the file. I also have a button that will open the file directly into the editor for manual modification if someone wants to do it that way, but now the app should do everything for you.

Here's a download if any of you would like to give it a test :) Hopefully i'm allowed to provide a sample of what i'm working on like this because I haven't been able to find the rules on this forum very easily.

http://www.mediafire.com/?75ztgt8d08fzv1g

Thanks for all of the help. I'm still continuing my development on this project. When you run it, it will create a config file in the same directory as the app, so I'll create a setup.exe to place it in the program folders location on install like I did with version 3.0. You can create a folder manually though in program folder, and then create a shortcut on the desktop so that you don't have to deal with the config file taking up space on your desktop with the application.

I figured out the font variables by parsing the data to labels that i've kept hidden on the actual form, so once the loop has gone through all the lines, and has discovered the value for the font size and type, it will use both of those in the font code as a new system.drawing.font. Maybe not the best way to do it, but it works, and nothing is visible to the user.

Next thing i'm adding will be a "Sort" function for lines within the editor, for alphabetical sorting.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AceInfinity

I started using an xml app.config file, but I want to be able to use a .ini file. I don't want to use the app settings either, I want a settings file seperate from the application as a .ini file extension to get the settings as an older method of configuration.

And yes, I did remove the ToLower so that it didn't read only lower case strings, but I didn't know that got posted with the first code of mine I posted lol, my fault. proneal you fixed the code finally though lol, After doing that it finally went through the lines of my .ini file, thanks :)

I spent way too long on this part of my application, through trying different methods and troubleshooting. For what I want the settings to do though, a .ini file seems more appropriate since xml isn't designed to be written to from what i've heard. xml was also invented so it could handle more advanced data for an application's configuration, but for what i'm using it for I don't see a need to use it. I could have used application settings, but I want a more "visual" configuration instead. You can view all of the settings directly from the .ini file in this case, and I can create more setting's files If I wanted to, or add them all onto the same one i'm creating with a little bit of work.

---

First off good to hear you got things working but wanted to address what you said about xml isn't designed to be written to. Check out the attached VS2008 project which demos how easy it is to read/write to and from a XML settings file. In the demo the file is stored in the app folder but could easily be stored any place you wanted. Also note in the form load event there is a good deal of assertion in that if there are no values set on first time usage it will provide default values. Lastly for an actual app all the code shown would be housed in a class that you would create once and use all over the app. Time to create this demo was roughly 30 minutes.

Example from the demo for read/write font information

Code:

---

Dim FontInformation = _
( _
  From B In Document...<Font> _
  Select Family = B.<Type>.Value, _
          Size = If(String.IsNullOrEmpty(B.<Size>.Value), 8, _
                    CSng(B.<Size>.Value))).FirstOrDefault

If FontInformation IsNot Nothing Then
  Dim MyFont = New Font(FontInformation.Family, _
                        FontInformation.Size, _
                        Me.Font.Style)
  FontDialog1.Font = MyFont
End If

If FontDialog1.ShowDialog = Windows.Forms.DialogResult.OK Then
  Dim Query = (From B In Document...<EditorSettings> Select B.<Font>).FirstOrDefault
  Query.<Type>.Value = FontDialog1.Font.FontFamily.Name
  Query.<Size>.Value = FontDialog1.Font.Size.ToString
  Document.Save(SettingsFile)
End If

---

Demo settings file

Code:

---

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<ApplicationSettings>
  <MainForm>
    <BackGroundColor>Red</BackGroundColor>
  </MainForm>
  <EditorSettings>
    <Font>
      <Type>Microsoft Sans Serif</Type>
      <Size>9</Size>
    </Font>
    <AlwaysOnTop>True</AlwaysOnTop>
  </EditorSettings>
</ApplicationSettings>

---

Yeah I know it's possible, i'm a programmer, but I don't specifically code in VB.net. XML can be written to, but I just said it wasn't really designed for that, specifically for app settings for an application. Since XML can hold more advanced and complex data, if you have some of that information stored into an XML file, it shouldn't be that easily changed. So the more common way of initializing a settings file is through an .ini file, and by keeping an XML file dedicated to the more advanced data for the application config.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AceInfinity

Yeah I know it's possible, i'm a programmer, but I don't specifically code in VB.net. XML can be written to, but I just said it wasn't really designed for that, specifically for app settings for an application. Since XML can hold more advanced and complex data, if you have some of that information stored into an XML file, it shouldn't be that easily changed. So the more common way of initializing a settings file is through an .ini file, and by keeping an XML file dedicated to the more advanced data for the application config.

---

ini files are not the recommended method to store settings anymore, that is old news. Examples, your project and solution files all use XML to store settings, Microsoft Office 2007 stores some settings in XML while other settings in the system registry. Lastly Adobe Fireworks stores settings in XML. Not to beat an old dog to death but XML is the way to go, no API's to read/write to them or code you have to bend over backwards to understand.

Any ways it is your choice and will leave it at that, just wanted to give you a good current method to read/write your settings.

That's exactly what I meant though, I understand the difference between both, but for someone to edit an xml file to change settings like boolean values for true or false on things like word wrap, always on top, detect urls, etc... Including color values and an integer value for the tab spacing on my app would be chaotic, and the greater the chances of someone screwing up. I wanted a config file that was easy to edit manually and xml was the worst way to go in this case. It's designed to hold more complex configuration data. Originally .ini files did that, then Microsoft came out with the registry, and xml was invented, xml is too complex in this case.

Your example of Adobe fireworks... Do you really think that a notepad application like this is as advanced as that? lol. People also don't go ahead and edit that xml file directly. This .ini file i've associated with my app was far better suited for the job. If I need a config file for more complex information i'll use xml, but chances are people won't be editing that xml file for their user settings, instead of the ini file that i've created because it's simplistic.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AceInfinity

I wanted a config file that was easy to edit manually

---

This was never specified in your original question.

INI or XML configuration files are not supposed to be edited manually but instead by the application or program that uses them.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AceInfinity

Including color values and an integer value for the tab spacing on my app would be chaotic, and the greater the chances of someone screwing up.

---

This is why people should not be editing them. If the developer wants to edit them then fine, if they screw it up then there is something really wrong if this is the developer who wrote the code. Better to have a options dialog to change information no matter if the config file is INI or XML.

In regards to

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by AceInfinity

Do you really think that a notepad application like this is as advanced as that?

---

That is not the issue, instead a developer should be consistent in how they code which in this case is reading settings from a configuration file.

Quote:

---

This was never specified in your original question.
INI or XML configuration files are not supposed to be edited manually but instead by the application or program that uses them.

---

It should make sense to you though that having a user manually edit a config file would make it easier for them to edit the .ini i'm giving them instead of a whole bunch of xml having parts that don't require any editing. Only the bottom half that includes the application settings.

.ini file's are created to be written to manually or programmatically. Please don't come on my thread and tell me any different because i'm more familiar with ini than I am in xml.

Quote:

---

This is why people should not be editing them. If the developer wants to edit them then fine, if they screw it up then there is something really wrong if this is the developer who wrote the code. Better to have a options dialog to change information no matter if the config file is INI or XML.

---

my comment there was about xml, not ini at all. ini file's aren't complicated if they are meant to be config files for specific things, whereas you can't really control all of the extra stuff that isn't to be changed in an xml file.

If they screw it up on my app, it will revert to the default application setting automatically, so that's already handled. If I had that for xml, that wouldn't be the case, things would screw up.

Quote:

---

That is not the issue, instead a developer should be consistent in how they code which in this case is reading settings from a configuration file.

---

It is the issue, i'm not asking the ini file to carry out anything complicated, so thats why I would never need to have used xml instead. xml was created because ini couldn't deal with complex tasks. so the registry was also invented at the time by microsoft.

what are you saying about consistency here? consistent in what? I am consistent in my code but between xml and ini just because you use xml doesn't mean you have to always use xml, and vice versa. Consistency is important in programming, but not in this case if i'm understanding this correctly.

Using xml for advanced applications and for even a basic button press application is completely unorthodox. You don't have to make things more complicated on the program side of the spectrum if it's not needed. If I was to give someone access to edit a button press program through xml and compare to ini, that's a difference of quite a few lines of code that they would have to look through to find the actual configuration part of it. xml is not necessary here.