Read INI-file

Mark Wijgergangs

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Mar 16, 1997, 3:00:00 AM3/16/97

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Is there a function in MS Acces 2.0 to read an INI-file.

Thank you.

Kindly regards,

Mark

Tim Sheppard

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Mar 16, 1997, 3:00:00 AM3/16/97

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This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

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> MarkThere is no direct function in Access 2.0 or Access 95, but you can
create one using the Windows API.

I am attaching a text file with some sample code for you to use. This
also includes a function to write to an INI file

To use it, first create a Module in Access

Add the two Declare statements in the declarations section ( the code
should all be on one extended line)

Then create two functions using the second and third code samples

These can then be called from the rest of your code.

E-mail me if you need any more help.

--
Tim Sheppard Email TimSh...@lerryn.co.uk
The Lerryn Consultancy WWW http//www.lerryn.co.uk
Regent House, Heaton Lane, Tel (int +44) (0)161 429 8570
Stockport, Cheshire SK7 3LU UK Fax (int +44) (0)161 476 6710

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Declare Function WritePrivateProfileString Lib "Kernel" (ByVal lpszSection$, ByVal lpszEntry$, ByVal lpszString$, ByVal lpszFilename$) As Integer

Declare Function GetPrivateProfileString Lib "Kernel" (ByVal lpszSection$, ByVal lpszEntry$, ByVal lpszDefault$, ByVal lpszReturnBuffer$, ByVal cbReturnBuffer%, ByVal lpszFilename$) As Integer

Function GetINIString(INISection As String, INIEntry As String, DefaultValue As String, MaxLength As Integer, INIFileName As String) As String
' Get a String from a Private INI File (*.ini file)

Dim ReturnValue As String
ReturnValue = Space$(MaxLength) ' make a buffer to hold the return value
Dim Result As Integer
Result = GetPrivateProfileString(INISection, INIEntry, DefaultValue, ReturnValue, MaxLength, INIFileName)
GetINIString = ReturnValue

End Function

Function SetINIString(INISection As String, INIEntry As String, INIValue As String, INIFileName As String) As Integer
' Write a String to a Private INI File (*.ini file)

SetINIString = WritePrivateProfileString(INISection, INIEntry, INIValue, INIFileName)

End Function

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The Bazzer

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Mar 16, 1997, 3:00:00 AM3/16/97

to Mark Wijgergangs

Mark Wijgergangs wrote:
>
> Is there a function in MS Acces 2.0 to read an INI-file.
>
> Thank you.
>
> Kindly regards,
>
> Mark

Hi Mark.... as is right outta the kb.

Microsoft Access version 2.0 does not have a simple function to store
or access settings in .INI files (that is, a log of users, window
position settings
, and so on). However, you can use the Microsoft Windows 3.1 application
program
interface (API) through Access Basic to read or write settings in an
.INI file.

MORE INFORMATION

The GetPrivateProfileString() and WritePrivateProfileString() functions
enable you to create new sections, keys or key values, retrieve key
values,
or modify existing key values.

How to Create the GetIniKeyValue() Function

1. Create a new module.

2. Type the following declarations in the Global Declarations section:

NOTE: In the following sample code, an underscore (_) at the end of a
line is used as a line-continuation character. Remove the underscore
from the end of the line when re-creating this code in Access Basic.

Option Explicit

Declare Function alias_GetPrivateProfileString Lib "Kernel"_
Alias "GetPrivateProfileString"_
(ByVal lpapplicationname as string,_
ByVal lpkeyname as String,_
ByVal lpDefault as String
ByVal lpreturnedstring as String,_
ByVal nSize as Integer,
ByVal lpfilename as String) as Integer

Declare Function alias_WritePrivateProfileString Lib "Kernel"_
Alias "WritePrivateProfileString"_
(ByVal lpapplicationname as String,_
ByVal lpkeyname as String,_
ByVal lpString as String,_
ByVal lpfilename as String) as Integer

NOTE: The lpkeyname argument for GetProfileString, WriteProfileString
is declared as type Any in the Microsoft Access help file. This is
because lpkeyname can be either a string or Null. lpkeyname is
declared
as string in this example to simplify use of the function.

NOTE: You may have these Microsoft Windows API functions defined in
an
existing Microsoft Access library or module; therefore, your
declarations may be duplicates causing a duplicate procedure name
error
message. There are two resolutions to this error.

- Remove or comment out the duplicated declarations statements.

- Use function aliasing by replacing the phrase "alias_" throughout the
code below with your own unique aliasing characters. This method
allows
you to remove the other module and not lose the declarations for the
API
functions in the new module. For more information on aliasing see
page
369 of the "Building Applications" book.

3. Type the following function in the module:

'*************************************************************
' FUNCTION: GetIniKeyValue()
'
' Used to return the value of a key in an .ini file. While you
' could call alias_GetPrivateProfileString directly it's return
' value is the number of characters read. It does not return the
' characters that make up the key value.
' alias_GetPrivateProfileString fills a buffer that you set
' aside(lpReturnedString in this example function) with the
' actual key value. GetIniKeyValue() returns this key value.
' If you provide an invalid file name, section or key
' this function returns the default key value.
'
' ARGUMENTS:
'
' lpFileName - the .INI Filename (found in the
' Windows directory by default).
' lpApplicationName - is the section title that appears in
' square brackets in the .INI file.
' lpKeyName - The .INI file entry that points to the
' key (followed by an equal sign).
' lpDefault - Return value when key is not found.
'
' EXAMPLE:
'
' To find out the value of the Load= line in the [windows]
' section of the WIN.INI file type the following into the
' immediate window.
'
' ?GetIniKeyValue("c:\windows\win.ini","windows","load","")
'
'*************************************************************
Function GetIniKeyValue(lpFileName, lpApplicationName, _
lpKeyname,lpDefault)

Dim lpReturnedString As String
Dim nSize As Integer
Dim CharReturned As Integer

On Error GoTo GetIni_err

lpReturnedString = Space$(255)
'Set aside the lpReturnedString variable as a 255 character
'buffer to hold the key value filled by
'alias_GetPrivateProfileString.

nSize = Len(lpReturnedString)
'Tell the alias_GetPrivateProfileString function how how many
'characters the lpReturnedString buffer can hold so it doesn't
'over fill it.

CharReturned =
alias_GetPrivateProfileString(lpApplicationName,_
lpKeyname, lpDefault, lpReturnedString, nSize, lpFileName)
'CharReturned is the number of characters returned by the
'alias_GetPrivateProfileString function. This can be used in
'error trapping to see if the lpReturnedString has been
'truncated.

GetIniKeyValue = lpReturnedString
'Pass the key value out of the GetIni() function.

Exit Function

GetIni_err:

MsgBox Error$
Exit Function

End Function

'*************************************************************
' FUNCTION: WriteIniKeyValue()
'
' Used to Set the value of a key in an .ini file. You
' could call alias_WritePrivateProfileString directly.
'
' ARGUMENTS:
'
' lpFileName - the .INI Filename (found in the
' Windows directory by default).
' lpApplicationName - is the section title that appears in
' square brackets in the .INI file.
' lpKeyName - The .INI file entry that points to the
' key (followed by an equal sign).
' lpDefault - Return value when key is not found.
'
' EXAMPLE:
'
' To set the value of the load= line in the [windows] section
' of the WIN.INI file to load=write type the following into
' the immediate window.
'
' ?WriteIniKeyValue("c:\windows\win.ini","windows","load",_
' "write")
'
'*************************************************************
Function WriteIniKeyValue(lpFileName, lpApplicationName,
lpKeyname,_
lpString)

WriteIniKeyValue = alias_WritePrivateProfileString_
(lpApplicationName, lpKeyName, lpString, lpFileName)

End Function

NOTE: This example does not have error trapping. Unexpected results may
occur
if the declarations and the variable types are not correct or your file
is not
in the location specified or does not exist.

REFERENCES

Microsoft Access "Introduction to Programming," version 1.0, chapters
1-5

Microsoft Access "Language Reference," version 1.0, Part 1

"Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit," Microsoft Press, 1992

"Programming Windows: the Microsoft Guide to Writing Applications for
Windows 3,
" Charles Petzold, Microsoft Press, 1990

"Programmer's Reference Library: Microsoft Windows 3.1 Guide to
Programming Reference,
" Volumes 1-6, Microsoft Press, 1992

Additional reference words: 1.00 1.10 2.00

------------------------------------------------------------------------

good luck!

Oscar L. Bowyer

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Mar 17, 1997, 3:00:00 AM3/17/97

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Mark,
You need to use a Windows API call to get INI file info. The function is
GetPrivateProfileString(). You might check Access help files (doubtful) or
the MS Knowledge Base for the exact syntax for calling this function. Hope
this helps.

Oscar L. Bowyer

Mark Wijgergangs <mw...@pi.net> wrote in article <332BF2...@pi.net>...

AMason7113

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Mar 17, 1997, 3:00:00 AM3/17/97

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You have to use the function GetPrivateProfileString from the Windows API