[solved] RegRead "App Paths" not working

[HurleyShanabarger]

Hello,

I am trying to read a file path from the registry using the key :

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\vmware.exe

Running the script as 32bit I retrieve the path, but if I run the script in 64bit it fails to read the value. Is it possible that there is some limitation to read from this specific path?

#RequireAdmin
#NoTrayIcon
#Region ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****
    #Tidy_Parameters=/reel /sf /ri
    #AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y
#EndRegion ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****

#Region Main
    _Main()

    Func _Main()
        Local $sFilePath_x32 = RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\vmware.exe", "")
        ConsoleWrite(@error & @TAB & @extended & @TAB & $sFilePath_x32 & @CRLF)

        Local $sFilePath_x64 = RegRead("HKLM64\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\vmware.exe", "")
        ConsoleWrite(@error & @TAB & @extended & @TAB & $sFilePath_x64 & @CRLF)

        Local $sCommonFiles_32 = RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion", "CommonFilesDir")
        ConsoleWrite(@error & @TAB & @extended & @TAB & $sCommonFiles_32 & @CRLF)

        Local $sCommonFiles_64 = RegRead("HKLM64\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion", "CommonFilesDir")
        ConsoleWrite(@error & @TAB & @extended & @TAB & $sCommonFiles_64 & @CRLF)
    EndFunc   ;==>_Main
#EndRegion Main

Result if run as 32bit:
0   1   C:\Program Files (x86)\VMware\VMware Workstation\vmware.exe
1   2   
0   1   C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files
0   1   C:\Program Files\Common Files

Result if run as 64bit:
1   2   
1   2   
0   1   C:\Program Files\Common Files
0   1   C:\Program Files\Common Files

 

Edited May 25, 2020 by HurleyShanabarger

[Jos]

Do you have an entry in the registry at this spot?:

"Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\vmware.exe"

Jos

[HurleyShanabarger]

No, there is not. It seems the complete "App Paths" key is not there at the WOW6432Node.

That means, there is no way I can read the value from "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\vmware.exe" if the script is compiled as 64bit version?

[Jos]

I would have expected it to be there when you installed the x64 version of the installer but maybe I am wrong here.

[Subz]

The following works for me

#include <Array.au3>
#Region ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****
#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y
#EndRegion ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****

_ArrayDisplay(_AppPaths("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths"), "64 Bit App Paths")
_ArrayDisplay(_AppPaths("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths"), "32 Bit App Paths")

Func _AppPaths($_sRegPath)
    Local $sRegKey, $aRegPaths[0][2], $i = 1
    While 1
        $sRegKey = RegEnumKey($_sRegPath, $i)
            If @error Then ExitLoop
        _ArrayAdd($aRegPaths, $_sRegPath & "\" & $sRegKey & "|Path = " & RegRead($_sRegPath & "\" & $sRegKey, "Path"))
        $i += 1
    WEnd
    Return $aRegPaths
EndFunc

 

[HurleyShanabarger]

My mistake, I used - for some stupid reason - regedit in the 32bit version.
Of course the key "Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\vmware.exe" is there.
If i use this one in the 64bit script it returns the correct path.

Just to summarize this (whoever might find this useful):

; 32bit script
RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft")                ; will read from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft"
RegRead("HKLM64\SOFTWARE\Microsoft")              ; will read from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft"
RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft")    ; will read from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft"
RegRead("HKLM64\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft")  ; will read from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft"

; 64bit script
RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft")                ; will read from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft"
RegRead("HKLM64\SOFTWARE\Microsoft")              ; will read from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft"
RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft")    ; will read from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft"
RegRead("HKLM64\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft")  ; will read from "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft"

8 minutes ago, Subz said:

The following works for me

#include <Array.au3>
#Region ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****
#AutoIt3Wrapper_UseX64=y
#EndRegion ;**** Directives created by AutoIt3Wrapper_GUI ****

_ArrayDisplay(_AppPaths("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths"), "64 Bit App Paths")
_ArrayDisplay(_AppPaths("HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths"), "32 Bit App Paths")

Func _AppPaths($_sRegPath)
    Local $sRegKey, $aRegPaths[0][2], $i = 1
    While 1
        $sRegKey = RegEnumKey($_sRegPath, $i)
            If @error Then ExitLoop
        _ArrayAdd($aRegPaths, $_sRegPath & "\" & $sRegKey & "|Path = " & RegRead($_sRegPath & "\" & $sRegKey, "Path"))
        $i += 1
    WEnd
    Return $aRegPaths
EndFunc

 

That is a nice solution, thank you!