SAMPLE: INIHEADR Sample Reads Section Headers from .INI Files

• Microsoft Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows versions 3.0 and 3.1

SUMMARY

The Windows SDK does not define a function to read all of the section headers from a profile (.INI) file. An application must read the entire .INI file and parse it to obtain the section headers.

NOTE: Microsoft recommends using Windows's application programming interfaces (APIs) to read .INI files. The method described below is not guaranteed to work on future releases, especially for system .INI files such as WINFILE.INI, WIN.INI, SYSTEM.INI, CONTROL.INI, and so forth.

The INIHEADR sample defines a function called GetPrivateProfileSections(), which parses a given .INI file and returns a buffer containing the section headers separated by NULLs and terminated by a double NULL. SECTION.C contains the function and a necessary helper function. The sample allows the user to choose an .INI file using the Open common dialog box. The section headings are then placed in a list box.

Download INIHEADR.EXE, a self-extracting file, from the Microsoft Software Library (MSL) on the following services:

• Microsoft Download Service (MSDL)

        Dial (206) 936-6735 to connect to MSDL
        Download INIHEADR.EXE (size: 29234 bytes) 
  

• Internet (anonymous FTP)

        ftp ftp.microsoft.com
        Change to the \SOFTLIB\MSLFILES directory
        Get INIHEADR.EXE (size: 29234 bytes) 
  

MORE INFORMATION

A profile file (WIN.INI) or a private profile (such as CLOCK.INI) must have the following form:

   [section heading]
   entry=value
      .
      .
      .

   [windows]
      .
      .
      .
   [Desktop]
      .
      .
      .
   [Extensions]

   windows<NULL>Desktop<NULL>Extensions<NULL><NULL>