Sort INI File

[Gary Beene]

I can write a custom function easily enough to sort the entries of each Section in an INI file. But is there a way for Windows to do it for me? Just wondering. I didn't find anything on MSDN. I did find a few internet entries but they just used a custom function approach.

Another approach is to put the Write statements to the INI file are in the desired sorted order. But if the INI file already exists then you'd have to delete it first . I have a number of apps in which I want the sorted order and would like to avoid adjusting the Write statements in all of them. So adding a function may be the easier way to go.

[Pierre Bellisle]

Hey Gary,

To make sure I understand, the need for sorting is for making life easy when a big ini is viewed in a text editor...

[Rodney Hicks]

Gary, not too many of my programs use *.INI files, but those that do, I rewrite the whole *.INI file on exit whether there are changes or not. I load the whole file during initiation and store the information appropriately in memory, and if a component changes between initiating and exiting it will be stored and there for the next run.
I assume that you'd like to access just specific required features rather than the whole file for either writing or reading.
Maybe I gotta start writing more complex programs.
TYPE INI
...
...
END TYPE
comes to mind now that you bring this up.

[Gary Beene]

Yes, Pierre! That is correct. For when I want to view the file and find out what was save.d

Rodney, all of my programs use INI files and I rewrite all values to the file each time, regardless of whether they have changed. But the API appears to find the location of the entry and puts it in that location. It does not re-sequence the content of the INI file to match the Write statements. That's a surprising approach,

[Pierre Bellisle]

You use GetPrivateProfileString/WritePrivateProfileString if I remember well.
You could write your own ini r/w code: More versatile, more control, more powerful, more fun.
I can send you a template if interested.

... the API appears to find the location of the entry and puts it in that location ...
I guess you could delete the ini before rewriting it.
Or do a program that read each ini in all subfolders,
ask you if it is OK to rewrite it sorted, and then go to the next one, and so on...

This could be a fun project if you already have code for an editor,
just add a button and rearrange the whole text on a simple click and save it.
This way, any ini will be as you like...

[Gary Beene]

Hey Pierre!

Yes, deleting before writing would work but then I have make sure the Write statements are in sort order. However, your idea of a project to do all the gb*.ini files in a folder might be a good middleground solution

I probably won't do anything because the need is not great. Lazy bug that I am! But the idea is there now, just waiting to blossom!

[Michael Mattias]

You use GetPrivateProfileString/WritePrivateProfileString if I remember well.

Close. You need GetPrivateProfileSection().

Returns an array (small a) of "key=value" pairs... load to a PB Array (cap A) and call ARRAY SORT. (Just load the pairs.. presumably you want to sort on the keys!)

Reverse the procedure and use WritePrivateProfileSection to store sorted. I'm not sure that would actually work but I don't see why you'd really need it as long as you can sort it 'as required.'

. But is there a way for Windows to do it for me?

Depends on how you define "doing it for you." This is pretty easy if you ask me.


MCM

[Gary Beene]

2017? I never did complete the goal ... just lived with it until now.

In my case I never use multiple sections, just one called "[All]" with everything in it, making a sorted version much easier to accomplish:

Sub SortINIFile(INIFileName As WStringZ * %Max_Path)
   Local temp$, iCount As Long, tempArray() As String, SectionName$   'section:  [All]

   If IsFalse IsFile(INIFileName) Then Exit Sub  'do nothing unless INI file exists

 ​  Open INIFileName For Binary As #1 : Get$ #1, Lof(1), temp$ : Close #1
​​
   SectionName$ = "[All]" + $CrLf
​   Replace SectionName$ With "" In temp$
   iCount = ParseCount(temp$,$CrLf)
   ReDim tempArray(iCount)
   Parse temp$, tempArray(), $CrLf

   Array Sort tempArray(), Collate UCase
   temp$ = Join$(tempArray(),$CrLf)
   temp$ = SectionName$ + Trim$(temp$, Any $Spc + $CrLf)
   Open INIFileName For Output As #1 : Print #1, temp$; : Close #1
End Sub
​

[Stuart McLachlan]

Do you find that gives you a blank first item after the Array Sort with some files??

I make it a habit to RTRIM$(temp$,$CRLF) when importing a $CRLF delimited file since the last line of such files frequently ends with a $CRLF and that makes PARSECOUNT one more than the actual number of lines in the file.

[Gary Beene]

Howdy, Stuart!

No, I didn't see any blank lines, but your suggestion is appropriate to cover the case where the incoming file does have border characters.

[Jules Marchildon]

@ Pierre: You could write your own ini r/w code: More versatile, more control, more powerful, more fun.

That does sound like fun! I added to my list of "just do it!".

@ Gary: Lazy bug? I think more busy than a beaver in a lumber mill !

[Borje Hagsten]

I did something like this long ago, using GetPrivateProfileSectionNames and looped through the result of that to get each section's contents with GetPrivateProfileSection, just like MIchael mentioned. In this case with just one section, even easier. But sorting can result in unwanted result if lines include number, like "File1=" will end up after "File10", etc. If for viewing purpose only, why sort and save? Maybe sort and view would be enough?

[Michael Mattias]

In my case I never use multiple sections, just one called "[All]" with everything in it, making a sorted version much easier to accomplish:

Since this thread started and up until I retired.. I just used the Windows API-provided functions (GetPrivateProfileString() et al) and did not cater to manual entry. So I never gave a <insert adjective of choice here> if entries were sorted or not.

FWIW, I have to nominate your "[ALL] section" "solution" for Winp-out of the Year. You're Welcome.

[Stanley Durham]

You can use “ARRAY SORT darray([index]) [FOR count]” to start after "[All]" to sort a section.
You can use “Sorting custom arrays: ARRAY SORT MyType(), CALL MyFunc()” to address anomalies.

But if you want to prove your stuff, you’d use memory mapping and sort it in place.
Probably take me a month to figure that one out.

[George Bleck]

Can try this... (NOT WIDE CHAR READY)

$SEP = CHR$(1)
$SPH = CHR$(2)

'----------------------------------------------------------------------------(')

%NumMaxLen = 128

'----------------------------------------------------------------------------(')

FUNCTION fn_SortINI(BYREF v_strFQFNSrc AS STRING, BYVAL v_boolIgnoreCase AS LONG, BYVAL v_boolBackup AS LONG) AS DWORD
   ' +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
   '
   ' DONT USE ON UNICODE INIs   
   ' DONT USE ON UNICODE INIs   
   ' DONT USE ON UNICODE INIs   
   '
   ' +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
   ' | v_strFQFNSrc     = Pass the fully qualified path name of INI file                        |
   ' | v_boolIgnoreCase = Pass %TRUE or %FALSE if you want to ignore case when sorting          |
   ' | v_boolBackup     = Pass %TRUE or %FALSE if you want to create a backup (.isb) of the INI |
   ' +------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
   LOCAL v_astrLine() AS STRING
   LOCAL v_dwdArraySize AS DWORD
   LOCAL v_dwdIndex AS DWORD
   LOCAL v_dwdLineCnt AS DWORD
   LOCAL v_hFile AS DWORD
   LOCAL v_strDataCurr AS STRING
   LOCAL v_strDataNext AS STRING
   LOCAL v_strFQFNBak AS STRING
   LOCAL v_strFQFNTmp AS STRING
   LOCAL v_strKey AS STRING
   LOCAL v_strLine AS STRING
   LOCAL v_strSection AS STRING
   LOCAL v_strWord AS STRING
   ' +------------------+
   ' | Read the old INI |
   ' +------------------+
   TRY
      OPEN v_strFQFNSrc FOR INPUT ACCESS READ LOCK WRITE AS # v_hFile
      DO UNTIL EOF(v_hFile)
         LINE INPUT # v_hFile, v_strLine
         v_strLine = LTRIM$(v_strLine, ANY $WHITESPACE)
         IF LEN(v_strLine) = 0 THEN ITERATE
         INCR v_dwdLineCnt
         IF v_dwdLineCnt > v_dwdArraySize THEN
            v_dwdArraySize += 500
            REDIM PRESERVE v_astrLine(1 TO v_dwdArraySize)
         END IF
         SELECT CASE AS LONG ASC(v_strLine)
            CASE 91      ' does it start with "[" (new section)
               v_strSection = v_strLine + $SEP
               v_astrLine(v_dwdLineCnt) = v_strLine
            CASE 59      ' does it start with ";"  (comment)
               v_astrLine(v_dwdLineCnt) = v_strSection + v_strLine
            CASE ELSE
               v_strKey = PARSE$(v_strLine, "=", 1)
               ' allow for proper sorting numbered items (works for ###=something or Word###=something)
               IF RTRIM$(v_strKey, ANY "0123456789") <> v_strKey THEN
                  v_strWord = RTRIM$(v_strKey, ANY "0123456789")
                  v_strKey = v_strWord + RIGHT$(STRING$(%NumMaxLen, $SPH) + MID$(v_strKey, LEN(v_strWord) + 1), %NumMaxLen)
                  v_strLine = v_strKey + MID$(v_strLine, INSTR(v_strLine, "="))
               END IF
               v_astrLine(v_dwdLineCnt) = v_strSection + v_strLine
         END SELECT
      LOOP
   CATCH
      FUNCTION = ERR
      EXIT FUNCTION
   END TRY
   CLOSE # v_hFile
   ' +----------------+
   ' | Sort the array |
   ' +----------------+
   IF v_boolIgnoreCase THEN
      ARRAY SORT v_astrLine(1) FOR v_dwdLineCnt, COLLATE UCASE
   ELSE
      ARRAY SORT v_astrLine(1) FOR v_dwdLineCnt
   END IF
   ' +--------------------------+
   ' | Write the Temp INI (ist) |
   ' +--------------------------+
   v_strFQFNTmp = PATHNAME$(PATH, v_strFQFNSrc) + GUIDTXT$(GUID$) + ".ist"
   v_hFile = FREEFILE
   TRY
      OPEN v_strFQFNTmp FOR OUTPUT LOCK WRITE AS # v_hFile
      FOR v_dwdIndex = 1 TO v_dwdLineCnt
         v_strSection = PARSE$(v_astrLine(v_dwdIndex), $SEP, 1)
         v_strDataCurr = PARSE$(v_astrLine(v_dwdIndex), $SEP, 2)
         IF LEN(v_strDataCurr) THEN
            PRINT # v_hFile, REMOVE$(v_strDataCurr, $SPH)
            ' Add a spacer line for legibility, but only after the last entry in a group, this assumes comments are at TOP of group, not bottom
            IF v_dwdIndex < v_dwdLineCnt THEN
               v_strDataNext = PARSE$(v_astrLine(v_dwdIndex + 1), $SEP, 2)
               IF ((v_strDataNext = "") OR ((ASC(v_strDataNext) = 59)) AND (ASC(v_strDataCurr) <> 59)) THEN PRINT # v_hFile, ""
            END IF
         ELSE
            PRINT # v_hFile, v_strSection
         END IF
      NEXT v_dwdIndex
   CATCH
      FUNCTION = ERR
      EXIT FUNCTION
   END TRY
   CLOSE # v_hFile
   ' +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
   ' | rename original to backup (isb), and Temp (ist) to original file name |
   ' +-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
   v_strFQFNBak = PATHNAME$(PATH, v_strFQFNSrc) + PATHNAME$(NAME, v_strFQFNSrc) + ".isb"
   TRY
      IF ISFILE(v_strFQFNBak) THEN KILL v_strFQFNBak
      NAME v_strFQFNSrc AS v_strFQFNBak
      NAME v_strFQFNTmp AS v_strFQFNSrc
      IF v_boolBackup = %FALSE THEN KILL v_strFQFNBak
   CATCH
      FUNCTION = ERR
      EXIT FUNCTION
   END TRY
END FUNCTION

Opps, sorry left out the constants... added them in.

[George Bleck]

Just be aware that if you have comments within a section they will be sorted to the top of the section no real way around that.

[Borje Hagsten]

Yeah well, I couldn't resist. Simple IniFile viewer with ability to sort & save posted in Source code forum. Handle with care..
Link: https://forum.powerbasic.com/forum/u...ni-file-viewer

[George Bleck]

Borje great looking tool.

I know you had mentioned an issue with sorting keys like ###=something or Key###=something as the ### could be any number of characters, if you do something like I did in your code it can easily be fixed...

' v_strLine is "key=something"
' v_strKey = parse$(v_strLine,"=",1)
' $SPH=chr$(1) a non printable character that won't appear in a normal INI
' %NumMaxLen=128 or any width number you expect could exist
IF RTRIM$(v_strKey, ANY "0123456789") <> v_strKey THEN
   v_strWord = RTRIM$(v_strKey, ANY "0123456789")
   v_strKey = v_strWord + RIGHT$(STRING$(%NumMaxLen, $SPH) + MID$(v_strKey, LEN(v_strWord) + 1), %NumMaxLen)
   v_strLine = v_strKey + MID$(v_strLine, INSTR(v_strLine, "="))
END IF​

This will allow proper sorting of those key with numbers... just need to do a REMOVE$(v_strLine, $SPH) before displaying/saving it.

[Borje Hagsten]

Very nice, George - Thank you! I have updated code in Source code forum so it now uses your code to sort keys ending with numbers correctly. Thanks!