move section within INI file?

[tcox8]

Hello all,

I have a problem with editing my ini file. I need the section name and keys/values that go along with that section to be added to another section in the ini file, not added to the bottom of the ini file.

Example INI:

expandcollapse popup

;========================
; Beta Image List
;========================
[BetaImageNames]
0=Section1
1=Section2
 
;========================
; Beta Image Details
;========================
[Section1]
Name=name1
Diskpart=Diskpart7B
OS=Win7
Name2=Windows7_master_1
 
[Section2]
Name=name2
Diskpart=Diskpart7B
OS=Win7
Name2=Windows7_master_1
 
 
;========================
; Archived Image List
;========================
[ArchImageNames]
0=Section1
1=Section2
 
;========================
; Archived Image Details
;========================
[Section1]
Name=name1
Diskpart=Diskpart7B
OS=Win7
Name2=Windows7_master_1
 
[Section2]
Name=name2
Diskpart=Diskpart7B
OS=Win7
Name2=Windows7_master_1

Now let's say I wanted to added a "Section3" to "Beta Image Details". What I have now (listed below) adds the Section to the very end of the .ini file.

Func _WriteINI($varType,$varImageName,$varOS,$varUpdate,$varDiskPart)
$var = InireadSection($ini,$varType) ;read the ini section to get list of images
  If @error Then
   MsgBox(4096, "Error!", "Unable to locate INI file or section within INI file!")
  Else
   If $varUpdate = "no" Then ;ignore this if statement!
    For $i = 1 To $var[0][0]
     If $var[$i][1] = $varImageName then MsgBox(0,"Uh-Oh!","Uh-Oh! This name already exists!") ;does name alread exist?
    Next
   Else
    Sleep(10)
   EndIf
  EndIf
IniWriteSection($ini,$varImageName,"",$var[0][0]) ;create the section
$write = IniWrite($ini, $varType, $var[0][0], $varImageName) ;write the image type
  If $write <> 1 Then MsgBox(0,"Error!","Error writing to INI file!")
$write1 = IniWrite($ini, $varImageName, "Name", $varImageName) ;write the image name
  If $write1 <> 1 Then MsgBox(0,"Error!","Error writing to INI file!")
$write2 = IniWrite($ini, $varImageName, "Diskpart",$varDiskPart) ;write the diskpart script used
  If $write2 <> 1 Then MsgBox(0,"Error!","Error writing to INI file!")
$write3 = IniWrite($ini, $varImageName, "OS", $varOS) ;write the OS used for image
  If $write3 <> 1 Then MsgBox(0,"Error!","Error writing to INI file!")
If $varOS = "Win7" Then ;determines if we need the second image for Win7 OS's
  If $varType = "StuImageNames" Then
   $imageTWO = "Windows7_student_master_1" ;name of second image
  ElseIf $varType = "FacImageNames" Then
   $imageTWO = "Windows7_Universal_1" ;name of second image
  EndIf
  $write4 = IniWrite($ini, $varImageName, "Name2", $imageTWO) ;write second image if used
  If $write4 <> 1 Then MsgBox(0,"Error!","Error writing to INI file!")
EndIf
$write5 = IniWrite($ini,"About", "UpdatedDate", @MON & "/" & @MDAY & "/" & @YEAR) ;let's change the update date.
  If $write5 <> 1 Then MsgBox(0,"Error!","Error writing to INI file!")
_popLists() ;update the lists to reflect our new image!
EndFunc ;==> _WriteINI()

Any ideas? Thanks!

Edited October 10, 2011 by tcox8

[nitekram]

You could read each line and then write it to a new file and then insert the section after finding the right location where you want to drop the new section

but you are going to have issues with having the same section name - as which one is it going to pick?

[tcox8]

Wouldn't function InIWriteSection do what you need?

No, this will create the section but it adds it to the end of the file. I want to add the section to the middle of the file

[water]

I would suggest two ini files. One with the archived sections and one with all other entries.

[tcox8]

I would suggest two ini files. One with the archived sections and one with all other entries.

Yes I considered this, but I was really hoping to use one file. Seems that it may be easiest just to have 2 files.

[nitekram]

Yes I considered this, but I was really hoping to use one file. Seems that it may be easiest just to have 2 files.

You can still use one file, but you have to have unique names for your sections - in either case - unless you rewrite the file with your enteries where you want them - it is going to append to the end of the file.

EDIT - you could prepopulate the section - where you want them to be, then when you write the section (as per @water) then it will populate where you want it.

Edited October 10, 2011 by nitekram

[BrewManNH]

Considering that the ini files don't care where the sections/keys/values are located inside the file, does it really matter (other than being overly concerned with neatness) where it places the information? Your second section 3 isn't going to be read anyways, so it doesn't really matter where you put it, does it?

[tcox8]

Considering that the ini files don't care where the sections/keys/values are located inside the file, does it really matter (other than being overly concerned with neatness) where it places the information? Your second section 3 isn't going to be read anyways, so it doesn't really matter where you put it, does it?

Yes it matters, Since I will be reading the ini file manually I would like to keep the sections under their names accordingly. i.e. keeping the beta images listed under the beta section.

[tcox8]

EDIT - you could prepopulate the section - where you want them to be, then when you write the section (as per @water) then it will populate where you want it.

This won't work for me because I do not know how many images and/or when I will be needing more added in the ini file until the time the image is created (and then added to the ini file).

[GEOSoft]

There is good info about IniFunctions in the help file.

$aSection = IniReadSection("My_IniFile.ini", "Section 1")
IniWriteSection("My_IniFile.ini", "Section 2", $aSection)
IniDelete("My_IniFile.ini", "Section 1")

[BrewManNH]

Yes it matters, Since I will be reading the ini file manually I would like to keep the sections under their names accordingly. i.e. keeping the beta images listed under the beta section.

Does that mean you're not using IniRead or IniReadSection? If so, then don't use IniWrite, or IniWriteSection use FileWriteLine, or FileWrite and rewrite the INI file everytime because that's probably the only way you're going to be able to control where in the file the data is added.

[water]

Let the main script handle the ini file using AutoIt builtin functions (resulting in an unordered ini file).

As you just want to read the sorted ini file I would write a second script that creates just what you need.

Use to IniReadSectionNames, sort the returned array, loop through the array and read every section using InIReadSection and write it to a temporary ini file using InIWriteSection. You now have an ordered file you can display.

[ProgAndy]

An ini is not designed as a database. Why don't you create your own file format or use SQLite?

[tcox8]

There is good info about IniFunctions in the help file.

$aSection = IniReadSection("My_IniFile.ini", "Section 1")
IniWriteSection("My_IniFile.ini", "Section 2", $aSection)
IniDelete("My_IniFile.ini", "Section 1")

This actually is not what i'm looking for. I already read the help file on this. But thanks!

I think I will edit a few lines and redesign the way I'm going to look at my ini file. i.e. create unique sections and just add keys/values under the sections to tell me what type of image I am looking at. that way I can just let autoit sort the sections how it pleases.

Thanks everyone for your help! I'm always amazed at the massive amount of help that is offered here in the autoit community! :-)