RegOpenKey and RegCloseKey

[Danial]

Hi,
Can any one explain the use of RegOpenKey and RegCloseKey in regarding to the Registry. I have noticed that some people use it in their code and some people dont.
Is it necessary to use them, if so why ?

Thanks in advance

Here is my full registry Module.

Put the following in a Module.

Declare Function RegCloseKey Lib "advapi32.dll" (ByVal HKEY As Long) As Long
Declare Function RegCreateKey Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegCreateKeyA" (ByVal HKEY As Long, ByVal lpSubKey As String, phkResult As Long) As Long
Declare Function RegDeleteKey Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegDeleteKeyA" (ByVal HKEY As Long, ByVal lpSubKey As String) As Long
Declare Function RegDeleteValue Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegDeleteValueA" (ByVal HKEY As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String) As Long
Declare Function RegOpenKey Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegOpenKeyA" (ByVal HKEY As Long, ByVal lpSubKey As String, phkResult As Long) As Long
Declare Function RegQueryValueEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegQueryValueExA" (ByVal HKEY As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String, ByVal lpReserved As Long, lpType As Long, lpData As Any, lpcbData As Long) As Long
Declare Function RegSetValueEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegSetValueExA" (ByVal HKEY As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String, ByVal Reserved As Long, ByVal dwType As Long, lpData As Any, ByVal cbData As Long) As Long
Public Const HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = &H80000000
Public Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Public Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
Public Const HKEY_USERS = &H80000003
Public Const HKEY_PERFORMANCE_DATA = &H80000004
Public Const REG_SZ = 1

Function RegQueryStringValue(ByVal HKEY As Long, ByVal strValueName As String)
    Dim lResult As Long
    Dim lValueType As Long
    Dim strBuf As String
    Dim lDataBufSize As Long
    
    On Error GoTo 0
    lResult = RegQueryValueEx(HKEY, strValueName, 0&, lValueType, ByVal 0&, lDataBufSize)
    If lResult = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
        If lValueType = REG_SZ Then
            strBuf = String(lDataBufSize, " ")
            lResult = RegQueryValueEx(HKEY, strValueName, 0&, 0&, ByVal strBuf, lDataBufSize)
            If lResult = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
                RegQueryStringValue = StripTerminator(strBuf)
            End If
        End If
    End If
End Function

Public Function GetSettingEx(HKEY As Long, sPath As String, sValue As String)
    Dim KeyHand&
    Dim datatype&
    Call RegOpenKey(HKEY, sPath, KeyHand&)
    GetSettingEx = RegQueryStringValue(KeyHand&, sValue)
    Call RegCloseKey(KeyHand&)
End Function

Function StripTerminator(ByVal strString As String) As String
    Dim intZeroPos As Integer

    intZeroPos = InStr(strString, Chr$(0))
    If intZeroPos > 0 Then
        StripTerminator = Left$(strString, intZeroPos - 1)
    Else
        StripTerminator = strString
    End If
End Function

Public Sub SaveSettingEx(HKEY As Long, sPath As String, sValue As String, sData As String)
    Dim KeyHand As Long
    Call RegCreateKey(HKEY, sPath, KeyHand)
    Call RegSetValueEx(KeyHand&, sValue, 0, REG_SZ, ByVal sData, Len(sData))
    Call RegCloseKey(KeyHand&)
End Sub

Usage: Requires 2 Commandbuttons

Private Sub Command1_Click()
    'Save a Value to the Registry
    savestring HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "Software\Myapp", "Testing", "Hello"
End Sub

Private Sub Command2_Click()
    'Get a value from the Registry
    Retval = GetString(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "Software\Myapp", "Testing")
    Print Retval
End Sub

[parksie]

That's fine if you only want strings. To use DWORDs as well, here's the code, and an example: http://www.parksie.uklinux.net/registry.zip

[Danial]

Thanks,
But i actually wanted to know why do you have to use RegOpenKey and RegClose function and how come some people dont use it in their code.

Thanks again

[parksie]

GetSetting and SaveSetting only allow changing of string values under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\VB and VBA Program Settings. For many apps, that is fine, but other people want to give a professional edge: ie use Software\My Company\My Product\Options etc. The RegOpenKeyEx function and its siblings let you access any part of the registry (except on NT, where permissions may limit you). You can also enter/retrieve items of any type.

It's not that hard to save as DWORD's. Simply replace REG_SZ with REG_DWORD. You'll need this constant for it.

Const REG_DWORD = 4

[Danial]

I am sorry you guys misunderstood my question. I will try to explain again. Look at the following code, in here they dont use the Function RegOpenKey and RegCloseKey at all but the code still works.

If you look at Megatron's Code you will see he used both function(regopenkey & regclosekey). I just wnat to know why do you have to use these two functions. Any ideas

Option Explicit
 
Private Declare Function RegCreateKey Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegCreateKeyA" _
    (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpSubKey As String, phkResult As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegDeleteKey Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegDeleteKeyA" _
    (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpSubKey As String) As Long
Private Declare Function RegDeleteValue Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegDeleteValueA" _
    (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function RegQueryValueEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegQueryValueExA" _
    (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String, ByVal lpReserved As Long, _
    lpType As Long, lpData As Any, lpcbData As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegSetValueEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegSetValueExA" _
    (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String, ByVal Reserved As Long, _
    ByVal dwType As Long, lpData As Any, ByVal cbData As Long) As Long
 
Const ERROR_SUCCESS = 0&
Const ERROR_BADDB = 1009&
Const ERROR_BADKEY = 1010&
Const ERROR_CANTOPEN = 1011&
Const ERROR_CANTREAD = 1012&
Const ERROR_CANTWRITE = 1013&
Const ERROR_REGISTRY_RECOVERED = 1014&
Const ERROR_REGISTRY_CORRUPT = 1015&
Const ERROR_REGISTRY_IO_FAILED = 1016&
Const HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = &H80000000
Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
Const REG_SZ = 1
 
Const regKey = "Sybex\Mastering VB 5.0"
    
Private Sub Form_Load()
Dim retValue As Long
Dim result As Long
Dim keyID As Long
Dim keyValue As String
Dim subKey As String
Dim bufSize As Long
    
    Label6.Caption = regKey
    'Create key
    retValue = RegCreateKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, regKey, keyID)
    If retValue = 0 Then
        'Create width
        subKey = "Window Width"
        retValue = RegQueryValueEx(keyID, subKey, 0&, REG_SZ, _
                   0&, bufSize)
        'No value, set it
        If bufSize < 2 Then
            keyValue = Me.Width
            retValue = RegSetValueEx(keyID, subKey, 0&, _
                                        REG_SZ, ByVal keyValue, Len(keyValue) + 1)
        Else
                                    
            keyValue = String(bufSize + 1, " ")
            retValue = RegQueryValueEx(keyID, subKey, 0&, REG_SZ, _
                       ByVal keyValue, bufSize)
            keyValue = Left$(keyValue, bufSize - 1)
            Me.Width = keyValue
        End If
        'Set values on form
        Label4.Caption = subKey
        Label5.Caption = Me.Width
        'Create height
        subKey = "Window Height"
        retValue = RegQueryValueEx(keyID, subKey, 0&, REG_SZ, _
                   0&, bufSize)
        If bufSize < 2 Then
            keyValue = Me.Height
            retValue = RegSetValueEx(keyID, subKey, 0&, _
                       REG_SZ, ByVal keyValue, Len(keyValue) + 1)
        Else
            keyValue = String(bufSize + 1, " ")
            retValue = RegQueryValueEx(keyID, subKey, 0&, REG_SZ, _
                       ByVal keyValue, bufSize)
            keyValue = Left$(keyValue, bufSize - 1)
            Me.Height = keyValue
        End If
        'Set values on form
        Label8.Caption = subKey
        Label7.Caption = Me.Height
    End If
End Sub
 
Private Sub Form_QueryUnload(Cancel As Integer, UnloadMode As Integer)
Dim keyValue As String
Dim retValue As Long
Dim keyID As Long
    
    retValue = RegCreateKey(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, regKey, keyID)
    keyValue = Me.Width
    retValue = RegSetValueEx(keyID, "Window Width", 0&, _
               REG_SZ, ByVal keyValue, Len(keyValue) + 1)
    keyValue = Me.Height
    retValue = RegSetValueEx(keyID, "Window Height", 0&, _
               REG_SZ, ByVal keyValue, Len(keyValue) + 1)
    MsgBox "Registry updated"
End Sub

[parksie]

RegCreateKeyEx creates a key and opens it. If the key is already there, it simply opens it. RegOpenKeyEx, on the other hand, returns an error if the key is not present. In the example you have, their code is wrong, because you should always close every key you open.