Adding multiple lines in registry

Question

I have an application that I use frequently on multiple machines. I would like to export the registry settings that I normally have to configure on each machine so I can script them to be imported at startup. The application allows me to put multiple lines of text into a text box, which will overlay that text on all printouts. It saves that text in a string in the registry. When I export the registry, the string looks something like this:

"sEndorsement"="Line 1 of text
Line 2 of Text"

This doesn't import properly because of the break in the string. Any ideas how to make that import nicely? I don't really have the option to just use one line of text in the settings.

Exporting a file from windows does not import properly back to windows. That's weird:/. I notice, you can export using different file formats, have you tried exporting using each different formats then importing? Just a suggestion. One of them might import properly. — ArgumentNullException
– ArgumentNullException, Commented Apr 18, 2013 at 17:40

TripShock · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-14 02:04:18Z

5

+100

Instead of using the standard .reg file you got from exporting the settings, you'll have to do it via VBScript, using vbCrLf to introduce the newlines in your string.

set ShellObj = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
ShellObj.RegWrite "HKCU\Software\Key\sEndorsement", "Line1" & vbCrLf & "Line2", "REG_SZ"

answered Apr 14, 2013 at 2:04

TripShock

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2 Comments

Matt Dryden Over a year ago

Thant makes a lot of sense, but unfortunately the registry change needs to be made via a GPO without running a script. It looks like I may be SOL :/

TripShock Over a year ago

I'm no expert in this area, but I think there are ways to set up logon script GPOs...

tgkprog · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-16 03:38:39Z

0

another approach assuming the app and its code is yours is to use a .ini file or other text file to save and load the settings from a standard place like %user-folder%\your-app-name\settings.txt

answered Apr 16, 2013 at 3:38

tgkprog

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Mark Leighton Fisher · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-17 22:30:34Z

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If the first line (or only line) of the key=value always starts with a double-quote, then your import code could detect that. Pseudo-code:

firstLine   = TRUE
keyAndValue = NULL
for each line to import
    line = get line
    if line[0] == '"' then
        if have previous line
            import keyAndValue
        keyAndValue = line
    else
        keyAndValue = concat(keyAndValue, CRLF, line)
end for
if keyAndValue is not NULL
    import keyAndValue

As said before, this could be implemented in VBScript -- or Perl for that matter.

answered Apr 17, 2013 at 22:30

Mark Leighton Fisher

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emigue · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-18 07:00:54Z

0

You can do one Python Script, using _winreg module. Some snippets:

from _winreg import *

#read Data:
key = OpenKey(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, r'Software\MyCompany\MyApp', 0, KEY_ALL_ACCESS)
value_data = QueryValueEx(key, "MyValueName")[0]

#write data:
key = OpenKey(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, r'Software\MyCompany\MyApp', 0, KEY_WRITE)
SetValueEx(key, "MyValueName", 0, REG_SZ, "MyValueData")

answered Apr 18, 2013 at 7:00

emigue

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Talmo Pereira · Accepted Answer · 2013-04-18 17:26:01Z

0

As others have mentioned, you can use VBScript by using vbCrLf with the RegWrite function.

Alternatively, and I'm not sure if this is possible within the context of your problem, change the registry key type to REG_MULTI_SZ instead of REG_SZ.

REG_MULTI_SZ strings are null-terminated as such:

String 1\0String2\0String3\0

And you can walk through them after reading the registry and just join them with newlines in your app.

MSDN has a good description of how these work and a code sample.

answered Apr 18, 2013 at 17:26

Talmo Pereira

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