Index - INI Editor

Windows (tm) INI Files

Using INI Editor

About this Software


Windows INI Files

An INI Primer

Most of the MS-Windows (tm) programs create INI files in which they list information concerning format specifications for the program to load along with user defined preferences like color, position of the main window when the program starts, etc.

For example, the following is a clip from a typical INI file:

;color of the main window

[color]

bkgroundrgb=255 255 255

foregroudrgb=0 255 0

;user information

[user]

name=John Doe

company=F.E.R.G.U.S.

All lines starting with ";" indicates comment.

Square brackets [] indicate section headers.

The profiles are described in "profile=parameter" format.

When the program begins execution or somewhere while executing, they read these profiles using API calls GetPrivateProfileString, GetProfileString, GetProfileInt etc. and accordingly set the program preferences.

Usually, these INI files exist either in the directory containing the program EXE file or in WINDOWS directory. The user can either edit these files using any ASCII editor or they may be modified through the EXE program from a menu interface (mostly the later).

Warning

The user should be vey carefull when changing these profiles manually - usually the software manual or help files describe various parameters in detail. Changing these profiles without knowing exactly what they mean or what the program expects may produce random results!

Using INI editor

About this software


Using INI Editor

This software helps you to browse and modify any MS-WINDOWS (tm) INI file. The usage of this program is very simple!

The program screen contains three sections:

•	A section header list box on top - this list box will contain all the section headers when you open any INI file. Select any of the section headers by clicking on it.

•	A profile list box which contain the profile list for the selected section header. This also includes any comment lines or commented profiles (the lines with ";" in the begining). You may ocassionally find blank lines too. Double click on any of these profiles to modify or scroll through the list box if you just wish to browse the profiles. Note that a single click of mouse will select any of these profiles but nothing else will happen.

•	Finally, an edit box which loads the profile string which you double clicked in profile list box. Once the edit box is loaded, you can either modify the parameters or comment it (either by placing a semi-colon ";" or by clicking on the Comment button below the edit box. If you modify  the parameters manually, click on Update button to update the INI file. Clicking on the Comment button automatically comments the profile string and updates the INI file.

Note that

•	You cannot edit a commented line except when it a commented profile string. In the later case, first Uncomment the profile string and then you may edit it.

•	Blank lines cannot be edited!

•	Section headers cannot be modified!

•  	If you modify any profile string in the edit box and do not Update it (by clicking the update button below), the change is not update in INI file!

•	Always create a backup before you change any of the profile parameters. You can either do this through DOS copy command or through File Manager or from File menu of this program.

Windows INI Files

About this software


About this Software

This software (INIEdit 1.0) is FREE!

However, check out the copyright notice and disclaimer below.

Why use INI Editor? Just because it is there. Isn't that sufficient reason already?

Tools used to create INI editor : Visual Basic 3.0

Software requirements: a PC running Microsoft Windows (tm) 3.1.

Hardware requirements: Well, any PC running Microsoft Windows (tm) 3.1 should be able to run INI Editor!

Installation:

•	If you are reading this, you must have already got hold of this software - so no point is telling from where and how to download!

•	Uncompress the INIEDIT.ZIP (compressed using PKZIP v1.02) in any directory of your liking!

•	Run the INIEDIT.EXE by either

    	-- typing INIEDIT in DOS. This should automatically load MS-Windows(tm) and execute INI Editor.

      -- from File|Run menu of Program Manager. Use browse button to select the path name and file name.

      -- Double click on INIEDIT.EXE in File Manager.

Files enclosed:

•	INIEDIT.EXE    -> Main executable program

•	INIEDIT.HLP    -> Help file in MS-Windows(tm) format

•	README.TXT  -> ASCII file contain some README.1ST information

Contacting me and bug reports: Please feel free to contact me either through email or snail mail if you need to report any bug(s) or just feel the uncontrollable urge to bother me:-)

INTERNET Email: sksinha@expert.cc.purdue.edu

Snail Mail: S. Sinha

                  Dept. of EAS, 1397, CIVL,

                  Purdue University,

                  West Lafayette, IN 47906.

Source Code: As you can see, the program is very simple and so is the code. However, if you need it for whatsoever reason, please get in touch with me and we will see what we can do ;-)

Copyright Information: Copyright (c) 1996 All rights reserved.

Permission is hereby granted to any individual or individuals to use, copy and distribute this software provided all of the original files are included unmodified and that it is not sold for profit.

Disclaimer of Warranty

THIS SOFTWARE AND THE ACCOMPANYING FILES ARE SOLD "AS IS" AND WITHOUT WARRANTIES AS TO PERFORMANCE OF MERCHANTABILITY OR ANY OTHER WARRANTIES WHETHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED.  Because of the various hardware and software environments into which INIEdit may be put, NO WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE IS OFFERED.

Good data processing procedure dictates that any program be thoroughly tested with non-critical data before relying on it. The user must assume the entire risk of using this program.  ANY LIABILITY OF THE SELLER/DEVELOPER WILL BE LIMITED EXCLUSIVELY TO PRODUCT REPLACEMENT.

and finally,

Thank you for using INIEditor. Have fun!

Windows INI File

Using INI Editor