Registry editing through VB

Dear Reader
I am using the API function RegSetValueEx to update some values in the windows registry. But each time I update the string value it writes is garbage into that particular field in the registry. I opened the Registry using RegOpenEx.
All I want to write is the value '0' to the string value. I have heard that the registry's values are formatted to UNICODE format when writting to the registry. Is there some thing to do with the format while writting. The dwtype = 1 or REG_SZ. Please help me out with this. I know that there are many OCX'S for registry editing but I want to do this with an API so that I don't have to create a distribution kit.
Amendra

Hi,
Try the code yaar. U need to create a button Button1. I think this will help you.

Bye

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'**************PASTE THIS CODE IN THE MODULE
Option Explicit

Public Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001 ' KEY
Public Const REG_SZ = 1 ' Unicode nul terminated string
Public Const READ_CONTROL = &H20000
Public Const SYNCHRONIZE = &H100000

Public Const STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE = (READ_CONTROL)
Public Const KEY_SET_VALUE = &H2
Public Const KEY_CREATE_SUB_KEY = &H4


Public Const KEY_WRITE = ((STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE Or KEY_SET_VALUE Or KEY_CREATE_SUB_KEY) And (Not SYNCHRONIZE))

Type SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES
nLength As Long
lpSecurityDescriptor As Long
bInheritHandle As Long
End Type

Declare Function RegCreateKeyEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegCreateKeyExA" _
(ByVal hKey As Long, _
ByVal lpSubKey As String, _
ByVal Reserved As Long, _
ByVal lpClass As String, _
ByVal dwOptions As Long, _
ByVal samDesired As Long, _
lpSecurityAttributes As SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES, _
phkResult As Long, _
lpdwDisposition As Long) As Long

Declare Function RegSetValueEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegSetValueExA" _
(ByVal hKey As Long, _
ByVal lpValueName As String, _
ByVal Reserved As Long, _
ByVal dwType As Long, _
ByVal lpData As String, _
ByVal cbData As Long) As Long ' Note that if you declare the lpData parameter as String, you must pass it By Value.


Declare Function RegCloseKey Lib "advapi32.dll" _
(ByVal hKey As Long) As Long

'**************PASTE THIS CODE IN THE FORM*******
'**************CREATE A COMMAND BUTTON***********
Option Explicit

Private Sub Command1_Click()


Dim hregkey As Long ' receives handle to the newly created or opened registry key
Dim secattr As SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES ' security settings of the key
Dim subkey As String ' name of the subkey to create
Dim neworused As Long ' receives 1 if new key was created or 2 if an existing key was opened
Dim stringbuffer As String ' the string to put into the registry
Dim retval As Long ' return value
Dim strMsg As String

' Set the name of the new key and the default security settings
subkey = "Software\ITS\Arjun\Test"

secattr.nLength = Len(secattr) ' size of the structure
secattr.lpSecurityDescriptor = 0 ' default security level
secattr.bInheritHandle = True ' the default value for this setting

' Create or open the registry key
retval = RegCreateKeyEx(HKEY_CURRENT_USER, subkey, _
0&, "", 0&, KEY_WRITE, _
secattr, hregkey, neworused)


If retval <> 0 Then ' error during open

MsgBox "Error opening or creating registry key -- aborting."
End

End If

' Write the string to the registry.
stringbuffer = "This is simply great" & vbNullChar

retval = RegSetValueEx(hregkey, "Arjun", 0&, REG_SZ, _
ByVal stringbuffer, Len(stringbuffer))

' Close the registry key
retval = RegCloseKey(hregkey)

strMsg = IIf(hregkey = 1, " New Key was created", " Existing key was opened")
strMsg = strMsg & " and the write " & IIf(retval = 0, "Operation Succeeded.", "Operation Failed.")

MsgBox strMsg

End Sub

Private Sub Form_Activate()
MsgBox "This program creates a key called HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ITS\Arjun\Test." & Chr(13) _
& "Then create a username 'Arjun' value under that key and set its value to 'This is simply great'"

End Sub


[/vbcode]



Software Engineer
Bangalore

[vbcode]
'*********************************************************************
' Copyright ©1997 Karl E. Peterson, All Rights Reserved
' *********************************************************************
' You are free to use this code within your own applications, but you
' are expressly forbidden from selling or otherwise distributing this
' source code without prior written consent.
' *********************************************************************
Option Explicit
'
' Win32 Registry functions
'
Private Declare Function RegOpenKeyEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegOpenKeyExA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpSubKey As String, ByVal ulOptions As Long, ByVal samDesired As Long, phkResult As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegCreateKeyEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegCreateKeyExA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpSubKey As String, ByVal Reserved As Long, ByVal lpClass As String, ByVal dwOptions As Long, ByVal samDesired As Long, lpSecurityAttributes As Any, phkResult As Long, lpdwDisposition As Long) As Long
Private Declare Function RegQueryValueEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegQueryValueExA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String, ByVal lpReserved As Long, lpType As Long, lpData As Any, lpcbData As Long) As Long ' Note that if you declare the lpData parameter as String, you must pass it By Value.
Private Declare Function RegSetValueEx Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegSetValueExA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String, ByVal Reserved As Long, ByVal dwType As Long, lpData As Any, ByVal cbData As Long) As Long ' Note that if you declare the lpData parameter as String, you must pass it By Value.
Private Declare Function RegDeleteKey Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegDeleteKeyA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpSubKey As String) As Long
Private Declare Function RegDeleteValue Lib "advapi32.dll" Alias "RegDeleteValueA" (ByVal hKey As Long, ByVal lpValueName As String) As Long
Private Declare Function RegCloseKey Lib "advapi32.dll" (ByVal hKey As Long) As Long
'
' Constants for Windows 32-bit Registry API
'
Private Const HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = &H80000000
Private Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
Private Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
Private Const HKEY_USERS = &H80000003
Private Const HKEY_PERFORMANCE_DATA = &H80000004
Private Const HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG = &H80000005
Private Const HKEY_DYN_DATA = &H80000006
'
' Reg result codes
'
Private Const REG_CREATED_NEW_KEY = &H1 ' New Registry Key created
Private Const REG_OPENED_EXISTING_KEY = &H2 ' Existing Key opened
'
' Reg Create Type Values...
'
Private Const REG_OPTION_RESERVED = 0 ' Parameter is reserved
Private Const REG_OPTION_NON_VOLATILE = 0 ' Key is preserved when system is rebooted
Private Const REG_OPTION_VOLATILE = 1 ' Key is not preserved when system is rebooted
Private Const REG_OPTION_CREATE_LINK = 2 ' Created key is a symbolic link
Private Const REG_OPTION_BACKUP_RESTORE = 4 ' open for backup or restore
'
' Reg Key Security Options
'
Private Const DELETE = &H10000
Private Const READ_CONTROL = &H20000
Private Const WRITE_DAC = &H40000
Private Const WRITE_OWNER = &H80000
Private Const SYNCHRONIZE = &H100000
Private Const STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ = (READ_CONTROL)
Private Const STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE = (READ_CONTROL)
Private Const STANDARD_RIGHTS_EXECUTE = (READ_CONTROL)
Private Const STANDARD_RIGHTS_REQUIRED = &HF0000
Private Const STANDARD_RIGHTS_ALL = &H1F0000
Private Const SPECIFIC_RIGHTS_ALL = &HFFFF
Private Const KEY_QUERY_VALUE = &H1
Private Const KEY_SET_VALUE = &H2
Private Const KEY_CREATE_SUB_KEY = &H4
Private Const KEY_ENUMERATE_SUB_KEYS = &H8
Private Const KEY_NOTIFY = &H10
Private Const KEY_CREATE_LINK = &H20
Private Const KEY_READ = ((STANDARD_RIGHTS_READ Or KEY_QUERY_VALUE Or KEY_ENUMERATE_SUB_KEYS Or KEY_NOTIFY) And (Not SYNCHRONIZE))
Private Const KEY_WRITE = ((STANDARD_RIGHTS_WRITE Or KEY_SET_VALUE Or KEY_CREATE_SUB_KEY) And (Not SYNCHRONIZE))
Private Const KEY_ALL_ACCESS = ((STANDARD_RIGHTS_ALL Or KEY_QUERY_VALUE Or KEY_SET_VALUE Or KEY_CREATE_SUB_KEY Or KEY_ENUMERATE_SUB_KEYS Or KEY_NOTIFY Or KEY_CREATE_LINK) And (Not SYNCHRONIZE))
Private Const KEY_EXECUTE = ((KEY_READ) And (Not SYNCHRONIZE))

Private Const ERROR_SUCCESS = 0&
Private Const ERROR_MORE_DATA = 234

Private Const REG_SZ = 1 ' Unicode nul terminated string
'
' Private member variables
'
Private m_Submain As String
Private m_AppName As String
Private m_Main_key As String

'
' Private class constants
'
Private Const defsubmain As String = "OfficeBlox"
Private Const defMain_key As String = "software"

' ********************************************
' Initialize and Terminate
' ********************************************
Private Sub Class_Initialize()
m_Submain = defsubmain
m_Main_key = defMain_key
m_AppName = App.ProductName
End Sub

' ********************************************
' Public Properties
' ********************************************
Public Property Let Submain(ByVal NewVal As String)
If Len(NewVal) Then
m_Submain = Trim(NewVal)
Else
m_Submain = defsubmain
End If
End Property
Public Property Let Main_key(ByVal NewVal As String)
If Len(NewVal) Then
m_Main_key = Trim(NewVal)
Else
m_Main_key = defMain_key
End If
End Property

Public Property Get Submain() As String
Submain = m_Submain
End Property
Public Property Get Main_key() As String
Main_key = m_Main_key
End Property


Public Property Let AppName(ByVal NewVal As String)
If Len(NewVal) Then
m_AppName = Trim(NewVal)
Else
m_AppName = App.ProductName
End If
End Property

Public Property Get AppName() As String
AppName = m_AppName
End Property

' ********************************************
' Public Methods
' ********************************************
Public Function DeleteSetting(ByVal Section As String, Optional ByVal Key As String = "") As Boolean
' Section Required. String expression containing the name of the section where the key setting
' is being deleted. If only section is provided, the specified section is deleted along
' with all related key settings.
' Key Optional. String expression containing the name of the key setting being deleted.
Dim nRet As Long
Dim hKey As Long

If Len(Key) Then
' Open key
nRet = RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SubKey(Section), 0&, KEY_ALL_ACCESS, hKey)
If nRet = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
' Set appropriate value for default query
If Key = "*" Then Key = vbNullString
' Delete the requested value
nRet = RegDeleteValue(hKey, Key)
End If
Else
' Open parent key
nRet = RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SubKey(), 0&, KEY_ALL_ACCESS, hKey)
If nRet = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
' Attempt to delete whole section
nRet = RegDeleteKey(hKey, Section)
End If
End If
DeleteSetting = (nRet = ERROR_SUCCESS)
End Function

Public Function GetSetting(ByVal Section As String, ByVal Key As String, Optional ByVal Default As String = "") As String
' Section Required. String expression containing the name of the section where the key setting is found.
' If omitted, key setting is assumed to be in default subkey.
' Key Required. String expression containing the name of the key setting to return.
' Default Optional. Expression containing the value to return if no value is set in the key setting.
' If omitted, default is assumed to be a zero-length string ("").
Dim nRet As Long
Dim hKey As Long
Dim nType As Long
Dim nBytes As Long
Dim Buffer As String

' Assume failure and set return to Default
GetSetting = Default

' Open key
nRet = RegOpenKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SubKey(Section), 0&, KEY_ALL_ACCESS, hKey)
If nRet = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
' Set appropriate value for default query
If Key = "*" Then Key = vbNullString

' Determine how large the buffer needs to be
nRet = RegQueryValueEx(hKey, Key, 0&, nType, ByVal Buffer, nBytes)
If nRet = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
' Build buffer and get data
If nBytes > 0 Then
Buffer = Space(nBytes)
nRet = RegQueryValueEx(hKey, Key, 0&, nType, ByVal Buffer, Len(Buffer))
If nRet = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
' Trim NULL and return successful query!
GetSetting = Left(Buffer, nBytes - 1)
End If
End If
End If
End If
End Function

Public Function SaveSetting(ByVal Section As String, ByVal Key As String, ByVal Setting As String) As Boolean
' Section Required. String expression containing the name of the section where the key setting is being saved.
' Key Required. String expression containing the name of the key setting being saved.
' Setting Required. Expression containing the value that key is being set to.
Dim nRet As Long
Dim hKey As Long
Dim nResult As Long

' Open (or create and open) key
nRet = RegCreateKeyEx(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, SubKey(Section), 0&, vbNullString, REG_OPTION_NON_VOLATILE, KEY_ALL_ACCESS, ByVal 0&, hKey, nResult)
If nRet = ERROR_SUCCESS Then
' Set appropriate value for default query
If Key = "*" Then Key = vbNullString
' Write new value to registry
nRet = RegSetValueEx(hKey, Key, 0&, REG_SZ, ByVal Setting, Len(Setting))
Call RegCloseKey(hKey)
End If
SaveSetting = (nRet = ERROR_SUCCESS)
End Function

' ********************************************
' Private Methods
' ********************************************
Private Function SubKey(Optional ByVal Section As String = "") As String
' Build SubKey from known values
SubKey = m_Main_key & "\" & m_Submain & "\" & m_AppName
If Len(Section) Then
SubKey = SubKey & "\" & Section
End If
End Function
[/vbcode