Saving object values in a textfile.

[RealNickyDude]

How do I save objects values in a textfile? Particularly the backcolour of an object? This is what I have:

Function SaveFile()
        FileOpen(1, Application.StartupPath & "config.ini", OpenMode.Output)
        PrintLine(1, TreeView1.BackColor)
        FileClose(1)
    End Function

But it's throwing an exception:

-------------------------------------------------------------------
An unhandled exception of type 'System.ArgumentException' occurred in microsoft.visualbasic.dll

Additional information: File I/O with type 'Color' is not valid.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Any help on how to save objects values in a textfile?

Thanks.

[sunburnt]

write the .Name property of the color, and then when you load it again, use the Color.FromName(string sName) function. This assumes that you're using named colors.

[Edneeis]

I would also recommend that you use an xml config file instead of the old school ini files. That is the direction everything is going especially with .net.

[RealNickyDude]

..use the Color.FromName(string sName) function.

I'm not quite sure how to do this (the on-line help is usless!). I have this:

TreeView1.BackColor.Name = Color.FromName(sTemp)

but I guess this isn't right as it's giving me a blue squiggle Any help would be appreciated.

..I would also recommend that you use an xml config file instead of the old school ini files.

I'm unfamiliar with xml at the moment, but eventually...

[RealNickyDude]

Anybody help

[Edneeis]

Whats the value of sTemp?

Actually I see the trouble you are trying to set the name but Color.FromName gets a color object based on the name so it is not a string value its a color value. Try this:

Treeview1.BackColor = Color.FromName(sTemp)

[RealNickyDude]

The value of sTemp is ffc0ffff and I did as you suggested Edneeis, but I get:

----------------------------------------------------------------------
An unhandled exception of type 'System.ArgumentException' occurred in system.windows.forms.dll

Additional information: This control does not support transparent background colors.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

As far as i'm aware, i'm not setting any transpaernt background colours!

Here's the two functions i'm using for loading and saving:

Function LoadFile()
        Dim sTemp As String
        FileOpen(1, Application.StartupPath & "\config.ini", OpenMode.Input)
        sTemp = LineInput(1)
        TreeView1.BackColor = Color.FromName(sTemp)
        FileClose(1)
    End Function
 
    Function SaveFile()
        FileOpen(1, Application.StartupPath & "\config.ini", OpenMode.Output)
        PrintLine(1, TreeView1.BackColor.Name)
        PrintLine(1, TreeView1.ForeColor.Name)
        FileClose(1)
    End Function

and the config.ini file only holds the value ffc0ffff

[Edneeis]

It should be used like this:
TreeView1.BackColor.Name = Color.FromName("Red")

[Edneeis]

Also check out the ColorTranslator class if you need to do some form of conversion between color formats. It has OLE, Win32, and HTML.

[RealNickyDude]

Originally posted by Edneeis
It should be used like this:
TreeView1.BackColor.Name = Color.FromName("Red")

I understand what you mean Edneeis, but the weird thing is that this:

PrintLine(1, TreeView1.BackColor.Name)

gives me a number like this: ff008040

While this:

PrintLine(1, TreeView1.[i]Fore[/i]Color.Name)

gives me an actual colour name - white

[RealNickyDude]

Right, it seems that some colours in a ColorDialog() return names while some return numbers.

Is there any way to specify only named colours from a ColorDialog() without having a list of them to pick from?

[Edneeis]

Is it a greenish color?

try this:

TreeView1.BackColor=ColorTranslator.FromHtml("#ff008040")

[Edneeis]

Yeah that should do it just Try..Catch it and in the catch add a "#" to the front and try it again.

Try
            treeview1.BackColor = Color.FromName(sTemp)
        Catch
            treeview1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml("#" & sTemp)
        End Try

[RealNickyDude]

Bah! I think i'll give up. Your above suggestion does work.... if the colour isn't a word ("white", "green", "blue") and your other suggestion with Color.FromName works if it isn't a number! And it can be either!!!

I thinks i'll just have a list of colours to pick from instead of a ColorDialog()

Thanks for everyone's help on this

[Edneeis]

Originally posted by Edneeis
Yeah that should do it just Try..Catch it and in the catch add a "#" to the front and try it again.

Try
            treeview1.BackColor = Color.FromName(sTemp)
        Catch
            treeview1.BackColor = ColorTranslator.FromHtml("#" & sTemp)
        End Try

Did we cross posts because this should cover both names and numbers?

[RealNickyDude]

I think we did! Another frustration eased by the mighty Edneeis!

[Edneeis]

Well I don't know about mighty but I'm glad I could help.