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Oberer · Guest

From the little vba that i know, if you want to save form/user information you have three choices: text file, database, or the registry.

I'd like to streamline my 'save' & 'get' functions...

I'm not too swift with writing to text files, so i typically use a db & tables.

Here's a little snipet of code that i use:
' get login name
strLoginName = UCase(ThisDrawing.GetVariable("loginname"))

'if there is at least one record
If Not oRS.EOF Then
retry:
With oRS
' search for matching login name
.Index = "PrimaryKey"
.Seek "=", strLoginName
' if we find a match, edit the fields
If .NoMatch = False Then
.Edit
Else
.AddNew
End If

!txtUser = strLoginName
!txtProject = strProjectName
!txtSanLatLayer = Me.cboLayerSanitary.Value
!txtWtrLatLayer = Me.cboLayerWater.Value
!txtStmLatLayer = Me.cboLayerStorm.Value
.Update
End With
Else
With oRS
.AddNew
!txtUser = strLoginName
.Update
End With
GoTo retry
End If ' EOF
oRS.Close
oDB.Close

Nathan Taylor · Guest

Have a look in the VBA help at GetSetting & SaveSetting for an easy way to store data in the registry.
Regards - Nathan

Oberer · Guest

Thanks Nathan. I've never checked out the GS and SS methods. It appears that using the reg is good for a few form variables and is much more straightforwad than writing to a db.
It seems there are some instances where a table/query still has to be used (acad doesn't sort the layer collection, so if i want to present it sorted, the only way i've found to do so is write to a table and populate the control from a query based on the newly created/populated table. This is REAL pain, considering it could easily be part of the collection (an optional "sort=true" would save us a lot of coding. ))

Laurie Comerford · Guest

Hi,

GetSettings and SaveSettings save the data under the Current User and as
such are not helpful on computers used by multiple users.

Download the RegObj.DLL from the MS web site and this will allow you to
read/write to the Local Machine area. (The IT Department may not like this,
but it does make your code much more useable.

I assemble my settings into a comma separated String and save to the:

HKLM\Software\CADApps\ProgramData key with a String value such as:
"AustRoads" holding data like 30,10,3,15,3,50,35,50
I read this data to a string and then use
dim vData as Variant
vData = Split(string, ",")
and then write the data from vData to the text boxes.

If you were to be highly consistent and create your text boxes in the
correct order, you could write code like:
(This was just typed here - not tested)

Function PopulateTextBoxes (frmForm as Form)
Dim i as Integer
dim sString as String
dim vData as Variant
sString = Read it from registry
If len (sString) = 0 then
Msgbox "Whatever"
Exit function
End if
vData = Split(string, ",")
On Error Goto AllBoxesWritten
frmForm.TextBox1 = vData(i)
i = i + 1
frmForm.TextBox2 = vData(i)
i = i + 1
frmForm.TextBox3 = vData(i)
i = i + 1
frmForm.TextBox4 = vData(i)

etc for as many text boxes as you think you are likely to have to deal with

AllBoxesWritten:
End Function

and

Function ReadTextBoxes (frmForm as Form)
Dim i as Integer
dim sString as String
sString = Read it from registry

On Error Goto AllBoxesRead
sString = frmForm.TextBox1
sString = sString & "," & frmForm.TextBox2
sString = sString & "," & frmForm.TextBox3
sString = sString & "," & frmForm.TextBox4
etc for as many text boxes as you think you are likely to have to deal with

AllBoxesRead:
err.clear
On Error Resume Next
Write sString to registry
If err <> 0
Msgbox "No data saved, Do you have permission to write to registry?"
End if
End Function

I'm not sure how elegant this code is, but it's easy to understand and high
re-useable
--

Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

"Oberer" <nospam@address.withheld> wrote in message
news:4448142.1105037672302.JavaMail.jive@jiveforum2.autodesk.com...

Tony Tanzillo · Guest

"Laurie Comerford" wrote

Laurie Comerford · Guest

Hi Tony,

They certainly do, but the data is not readily shareable.

The change came from client requests after we originally installed and
stored our licence files in the Current User area.

--

Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

"Tony Tanzillo" <tony.tanzillo@U_KNOW_WHERE.com> wrote in message
news:41ddbec7_2@newsprd01...

Nathan Taylor · Guest

I would agree with Tony in that in this case where information is being stored purely to fill a form with previous data that it would make sense for it to be user specific.
Regards - Nathan

Laurie Comerford · Guest

Hi Nathan,

It depends entirely on the nature of the data. As I said, we were requested
to put our licence data there and the nature of the data we store is such
that it should be available to all users.

--

Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

"Nathan Taylor" <nospam@address.withheld> wrote in message
news:12519394.1105058734138.JavaMail.jive@jiveforum2.autodesk.com...

Tony Tanzillo · Guest

Sorry, but I'm getting more and more confused here.

Are we talking about your license files, or the data that
the original poster wants to store, for each user?

--
http://www.caddzone.com

AcadXTabs: MDI Document Tabs for AutoCAD 2004/2005
http://www.acadxtabs.com

"Laurie Comerford" <laurie@DeleteThiscadapps.com.au> wrote in message news:41de3493_1@newsprd01...

Tony Tanzillo · Guest

"Laurie Comerford" <laurie@DeleteThiscadapps.com.au> wrote in message news:41ddcdf6_2@newsprd01...

Laurie Comerford · Guest

Hi Tony,

I'm sorry for my lack of clarity:

Let me reiterate:

The need to use HKLM for the licence data was requested by our clients.
Many of them have users who share computers on an availability basis and
they found it highly inconvenient having to setup the licencing for every
user on every computer due to our initial licensing system relying on data
in HKCU.

Having investigated and created a method for putting data in HKLM, it was
also sensible for the settings data associated with our programs be
available to all users, rather than having the company create it for each
user by doing multiple installations and then modifying each set of settings
data from our defaults for the settings, to match the company requirements.

This data is user adjustable and can be added to by users. If an individual
user develops additional data, then it is highly desirable that this data
also is available to the co-workers.

Hence for us, HKLM is the way to go.

Obviously there are other types of data which are user specific, but they
don't apply in our case.

If you are still confused, please let me know and I'll try again.

--

Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

"Tony Tanzillo" <tony.tanzillo@U_KNOW_WHERE.com> wrote in message
news:41de4441$1_3@newsprd01...

Tony Tanzillo · Guest

Sorry, I thought we were discussing the
circumstances of the original poster, which
seem to suggest that the data is user-
specific, as opposed to shared.

I understand your circumstances (with your
licensing data), but with regards to user-
specific settings and data, I don't believe
this is applicable:

R. Robert Bell · Guest

Laurie,

I wish, for lots of IT manager's sakes, that you would reconsider _some_ of
your approach. The rest of my comment is based on the IT perspective.

I don't mind being forced to do an _initial_ install as an Admin, so that
some information will get placed in HKLM.
All my users are now defined as Limited users in WinXP. This helps me keep
the idiots... I mean, users... from installing Gator and Kazaa and
Latest_ScuzWare_From_Really_Cool_Toolbar_Vendor_of_the_Day.
This means that all my users would *not* be able to run your programs. This
is a bad thing, would not you agree?
To force company standards, sure, place data in HKLM, but make an Admin
login the one to edit the changes. If any plain-Jane user can edit it, what
good is it as a "standard"?
Copy the differential data from HKLM to HKCU and use *that* hive for user
support and custom settings.

--
R. Robert Bell

"Laurie Comerford" <laurie@DeleteThiscadapps.com.au> wrote in message
news:41de756f_3@newsprd01...
Hi Tony,

I'm sorry for my lack of clarity:

Let me reiterate:

The need to use HKLM for the licence data was requested by our clients.
Many of them have users who share computers on an availability basis and
they found it highly inconvenient having to setup the licencing for every
user on every computer due to our initial licensing system relying on data
in HKCU.

Having investigated and created a method for putting data in HKLM, it was
also sensible for the settings data associated with our programs be
available to all users, rather than having the company create it for each
user by doing multiple installations and then modifying each set of settings
data from our defaults for the settings, to match the company requirements.

This data is user adjustable and can be added to by users. If an individual
user develops additional data, then it is highly desirable that this data
also is available to the co-workers.

Hence for us, HKLM is the way to go.

Obviously there are other types of data which are user specific, but they
don't apply in our case.

If you are still confused, please let me know and I'll try again.

--

Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

Laurie Comerford · Guest

Hi Robert,

In general I agree with your comments and would like to think I could make
it work that way.

However, the situation is not black and white and is dependent on the nature
of the data we are dealing with.

Any one of a number of users in the system may create data which is not user
specific, but company useable and relatively stable, but not necessarily.
If the user is unable to make that data available via the registry, it means
that each user has to recreate it, or there has to be a human system in
place where the user Emails the IT and says "Please do this".

I have no solution to this problem, but in the absence of a client
complaint, have not needed to resolve it. Practical suggestions are
welcome.

At this stage, I don't really want to go back to writing the data to a file.

--

Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

"R. Robert Bell" <NOT.RobertB@MWEngineers.com> wrote in message
news:41dea684_1@newsprd01...

R. Robert Bell · Guest

I understand... "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." I know that storing data
in an external file might not be ideal in your circumstance.

Personally, one of my tests for "professional software" is if it will run
under a limited/restricted user. Unhappily, it seems that most design
software is written without regard to this criteria.

--
R. Robert Bell

"Laurie Comerford" <laurie@DeleteThiscadapps.com.au> wrote in message
news:41df350c_3@newsprd01...
Hi Robert,

In general I agree with your comments and would like to think I could make
it work that way.

However, the situation is not black and white and is dependent on the nature
of the data we are dealing with.

Any one of a number of users in the system may create data which is not user
specific, but company useable and relatively stable, but not necessarily.
If the user is unable to make that data available via the registry, it means
that each user has to recreate it, or there has to be a human system in
place where the user Emails the IT and says "Please do this".

I have no solution to this problem, but in the absence of a client
complaint, have not needed to resolve it. Practical suggestions are
welcome.

At this stage, I don't really want to go back to writing the data to a file.

--

Laurie Comerford
CADApps
www.cadapps.com.au

"R. Robert Bell" <NOT.RobertB@MWEngineers.com> wrote in message
news:41dea684_1@newsprd01...

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