GetProfileString | C++ and VC++ Tips

How to read INI files

8 05 2013

INI files(.INI) are simple text files with a basic structure composed of sections and properties and which is used for some configuration settings. Till Microsoft introduced registry, the INI file served as the primary mechanism to configure operating system features. Even if it is obsolete, developers may still need to use it.

Windows provides APIs for reading and writing settings from classic Windows .ini files. The following APIs are available for reading data from INI files.
GetPrivateProfileInt
GetPrivateProfileSection
GetPrivateProfileSectionNames
GetPrivateProfileString
GetPrivateProfileStruct
GetProfileInt
GetProfileSection
GetProfileString

INIReader.h

class CINIReader
{

public:
CINIReader()
{
    m_pSectionList = new CStringList();
    m_pSectionDataList = new CStringList();
}

~CINIReader()
{
    delete m_pSectionList;
    delete m_pSectionDataList;
}

    void SetInfFileName(CString p_strInfFileName);
    BOOL IsValidSection(CString p_strSectionName);
    CStringList* GetSectionNames()
    CStringList* GetSectionData(CString p_lpSectionName);

private:
    CString m_strInfFileName;
    CStringList* m_pSectionList;
    CStringList* m_pSectionDataList;	    
};

INIReader.cpp

void CINIReader::SetInfFileName(CString p_strInfFileName)
{
m_strInfFileName = p_strInfFileName;
}

BOOL CINIReader::IsValidSection(CString p_strSectionName)
{
BOOL bReturnValue = FALSE;

if (!m_strInfFileName.IsEmpty())
{
TCHAR lpszReturnBuffer[nBufferSize];

DWORD dwNoOfCharsCopied = GetPrivateProfileString(p_strSectionName, NULL,
_T(""), lpszReturnBuffer, nBufferSize, m_strInfFileName);

bReturnValue = (dwNoOfCharsCopied > 0) ? TRUE : FALSE;
}

return bReturnValue;
}

CStringList* CINIReader::GetSectionNames()
{
if (m_pSectionList)
{
m_pSectionList->RemoveAll();
TCHAR lpszReturnBuffer[nBufferSize];
GetPrivateProfileSectionNames(lpszReturnBuffer, nBufferSize, m_strInfFileName);
TCHAR* pNextSection = NULL;
pNextSection = lpszReturnBuffer;
m_pSectionList->InsertAfter(m_pSectionList->GetTailPosition(), pNextSection);
while (*pNextSection != 0x00)
{
pNextSection = pNextSection + strlen(pNextSection) + 1;
if(*pNextSection != 0x00)
{
m_pSectionList->InsertAfter(m_pSectionList->GetTailPosition(), pNextSection);
}
}
}

return m_pSectionList;
}

CStringList* CINIReader::GetSectionData(CString p_lpSectionName)
{
if (m_pSectionDataList)
{
m_pSectionDataList->RemoveAll();
TCHAR lpszReturnBuffer[nBufferSize];
GetPrivateProfileSection(p_lpSectionName, lpszReturnBuffer, nBufferSize, m_strInfFileName);
TCHAR* pNextSection = NULL;
pNextSection = lpszReturnBuffer;
m_pSectionDataList->InsertAfter(m_pSectionDataList->GetTailPosition(), pNextSection);
while (*pNextSection != 0x00)
{
pNextSection = pNextSection + strlen(pNextSection) + 1;
if(*pNextSection != 0x00)
{
m_pSectionDataList->InsertAfter(m_pSectionDataList->GetTailPosition(), pNextSection);
}
}
}

return m_pSectionDataList;
}