Wrong Directory Path at startup

[tassa]

Hello,
I'm using this code to make my app. run at startup if a CheckBox is checked

   Private Sub CheckBox5_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles CheckBox5.CheckedChanged
        If CheckBox5.Checked = True Then
            CheckBox6.Checked = False
            CheckBox6.Enabled = False
            Dim key As Microsoft.Win32.RegistryKey
            key = Microsoft.Win32.Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run", True)
            key.SetValue("To-Do List", Application.ExecutablePath)
            My.Settings.DefaultCheck5 = True
        ElseIf CheckBox5.Checked = False Then
            CheckBox6.Enabled = True
            Microsoft.Win32.Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run", True).DeleteValue("To-Do List", False)
            My.Settings.DefaultCheck5 = False
        End If
    End Sub

However, when the app. starts it loads some text to a ListBox. But, when the app. run at startup it creates a directory in:

C:\Documents and Settings\%userprofile%\%app. folder%

and its supposed to load the text from

Directory.GetCurrentDirectory.ToString & "\My Program\textfile.txt"

This is my FormLoad code:

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        ListBox1.Items.Clear()
        'Sets the CurrentUser to an empty string
        My.Settings.CurrentUser = ""
        'Gets the curent directory of the application
        My.Settings.CurrentDirectory = Directory.GetCurrentDirectory.ToString
        'Checks to see if it's the first run of the program
        If My.Settings.FirstRun = True Then
            UserINFO.ShowDialog()
            My.Settings.FirstRun = False
        ElseIf My.Settings.FirstRun = False Then
            'Checks if the Settings folder exists
            If Directory.Exists(My.Settings.CurrentDirectory & "\Settings\Usernames") = False Then
                Directory.CreateDirectory(My.Settings.CurrentDirectory & "\Settings\Usernames")
            End If
        End If
        'Handles the ToolTip delay
        Me.ToolTip1.ReshowDelay = 10
        Me.ToolTip1.InitialDelay = 1000
        'Handles fade-in effects
        If My.Settings.DisableFadeIn = True Then
            Timer1.Enabled = False
            Me.Opacity = 100
            ManageUsers.Timer1.Enabled = False
            ManageUsers.Opacity = 100
        ElseIf My.Settings.DisableFadeIn = False Then
            Timer1.Enabled = True
            ManageUsers.Timer1.Enabled = True
        End If
        'Settings from Customize form
        With Me
            .ListBox1.ForeColor = My.Settings.DefaultColor
            .FormBorderStyle = My.Settings.DefaultCustomBorder
            .Button1.Visible = My.Settings.DefaultButton1
            .Button2.Visible = My.Settings.DefaultButton2
            .Button3.Visible = My.Settings.DefaultButton3
            .Size = My.Settings.DefaultSize
            .ShowInTaskbar = My.Settings.ShowInTaskbar
        End With
        With Customize
            .CheckBox1.Checked = My.Settings.DefaultCheck1
            .CheckBox2.Checked = My.Settings.DefaultCheck2
            .CheckBox3.Checked = My.Settings.DefaultCheck3
            .CheckBox4.Checked = My.Settings.DefaultCheck4
            .CheckBox5.Checked = My.Settings.DefaultCheck5
            .CheckBox6.Checked = My.Settings.DefaultCheck6
            .CheckBox7.Checked = My.Settings.DefaultCheck7
        End With
        PrintSettings.Enabled = My.Settings.DefaultPrinterSettings
        'Settings end here
        ManageUsers.ShowDialog()
        TextBox1.Focus()
    End Sub

[jmcilhinney]

Is this a ClickOnce-deployed app by any chance?

[tassa]

ClickOnce-deployed app what do you mean by that?

[jmcilhinney]

I mean did you deploy the app using ClickOnce, i.e. did you publish your project to create a ClickOnce installer?

[tassa]

No, i haven't published my app.

[jmcilhinney]

Why are you storing a current directory path in your settings? What is that supposed to represent?

[jmcilhinney]

I'm a little confused by your code so I'm just going to ignore it and tell you what you SHOULD do:

Imports Microsoft.Win32
 
Public Class Form1
 
    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, _
                           ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        'If GetValue returns Nothing then there is no value with that name, so the app is not being run at startup.
        Me.runAtStartupCheck.Checked = (Registry.GetValue("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run", _
                                                          Application.ProductName, _
                                                          Nothing) IsNot Nothing)
 
    End Sub
 
    Private Sub runAtStartupCheck_CheckedChanged(ByVal sender As Object, _
                                                 ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles runAtStartupCheck.CheckedChanged
        If Me.runAtStartupCheck.Checked Then
            'Add the executable's path against the application's name.
            Registry.SetValue("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run", _
                              Application.ProductName, _
                              Application.ExecutablePath)
        Else
            'Remove the application's name.
            Using key = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey("Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run", _
                                                        True)
                key.DeleteValue(Application.ProductName)
            End Using
        End If
    End Sub
 
End Class

You will obviously(?) need to set the Product Name in the project properties.

[tassa]

    Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As Object, _
                           ByVal e As EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
        'If GetValue returns Nothing then there is no value with that name, so the app is not being run at startup.
        Me.runAtStartupCheck.Checked = (Registry.GetValue("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run", _
                                                          Application.ProductName, _
                                                          Nothing) IsNot Nothing)

    End Sub

Yes, I know the code is confusing, trying to make it easier to understand... What is the quoted code for?

[jmcilhinney]

Yes, I know the code is confusing, trying to make it easier to understand... What is the quoted code for?

It's to set the state of the CheckBox when the app starts up. You shouldn't be storing anything in My.Settings for this because what's in My.Settings doesn't matter. Only what's in the Registry matters. If the user goes into the Registry and deletes your value by hand then the next time your app starts your box will be checked, even though the app is NOT being run at startup. As such you're giving the user incorrect information.

[tassa]

Ok ok. By that, I suppose that I can change the value of 6 checkboxes by the values stored in the registry?

[jmcilhinney]

Ok ok. By that, I suppose that I can change the value of 6 checkboxes by the values stored in the registry?

Absolutely. That said, note that My.Settings is supposed to be a substitute for the Registry in many situations. You should avoid storing app-specific configuration data and the like in the Registry and use My.Settings for that. Data that needs to be read by the OS or other apps, like these Run values, must still be stored in a common location, like the Registry.

[tassa]

Ok. Now I have one question:

1-How can I store more than 1 value in the registry?

[jmcilhinney]

Ok. Now I have one question:

1-How can I store more than 1 value in the registry?

Do you mean like under the name MyValue you would have multiple sub-values, or do you just mean having MyValue1 with a value, MyValue2 with another value and MyValue3 with yet another value?

[tassa]

Well, I think that adding sub-values makes things more comprehensible and isn't doing that better?

[jmcilhinney]

Well, I think that adding sub-values makes things more comprehensible and isn't doing that better?

That would depend. For instance, if you wanted to save a list of people's names then a single value containing multiple sub-values would be the way to go, because it all represents a single entity. If you wanted to save, say, a single person's name and their address though, that would be better done with two separate values, because they represent two separate, if related, entities.

What exactly does this information represent that you want to save?

[tassa]

Well, i have a form, say Form2, that has 6 checkboxes, each checkbox represent an integer... For instance...

CheckBox1, disables the form border
CheckBox2, disables another form (this value is a boolean)
CheckBox4, makes form's buttons invisible
CheckBox5, makes the app. run at startup
CheckBox6, enables a horizontal track bar to change the form's opacity..

How would it be better to save this values?

[jmcilhinney]

As I said earlier, app-specific configuration should be stored in My.Settings, while data that must be read by the OS and/or other apps too should be stored in a common repository, i.e. the Registry. In your case, whether or not the application is run at startup is the only value that is accessed from outside the application, so it's the only value that should be stored in the Registry. Everything else is meaningless to all but your app, so it should be stored local to your app, i.e. in My.Settings.

[tassa]

OK. Thanks. But it still doesnt explain why it doesnt load the text from the current directory, but instead from C:\Documents and Settings\%userprofile%\%app. folder%

[jmcilhinney]

As I said earlier, I have no idea what My.Settings.CurrentDirectory is for. You're setting it to the app's current working directory when you start up every time so what's the point? I also don't see anywhere that text is being loaded into a ListBox.

[tassa]

Let me check that up. I'll come back with more details. Thanks for you help =D