Appendix

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Appendix


Registry/ini-file keys

The following registry or ini-file keys are used (including sample values):


[Window]

PosX=517

PosY=371

Width=511

Height=231


The Window settings define the location and the size of the dialog upon startup.


[Program]

Version=30


The Program settings store certain program related data. In this case, it is just the version of the program, which wrote the registry.


[Settings]

History=d:\Utilities\abc.exe &&yyyy.&&mo.&&dd.&&mi%_19:57:00%_1010101%_d:\Utilities\jkl.exe%_09:57:00%_1111111%_d:\Utilities\def.exe%_19:57:00%_1010101%_d:\Utilities\ghi.exe%_09:57:00%_1111011


The Settings remeber the last parameters used by the program, here it is just the history. The history string consists actually of multiple individual strings. When using an ini file, each of them is terminated by "%_". The last one does not need such a termination. You may edit this string with a text editor, but note that a % serves as an escape character and must be doubled if used as a single character. When using the registry instead of an ini file and changing it with regedit, each individual string is displayed as a single line. The % character has no special meaning in that case.


Using an ini file or the registry?

ExecuteAt permits to use the windows registry or a dedicated ini-file to store configuration data. Which one shall be used?

Well, it's pretty much a matter of personal taste. Microsoft discurages the use of ini files, but quite a few people, including myself, prefer them over using the registry. The big advantages of an ini file are portability, the possibility to make backups and the possibility to use different configurations for different purposes. For backing up or porting ExecuteAt and its configuration to a different computer, just copy the executable and the ini-file and you are done. Maybe some pathnames must be adapted, but that can be done easily with any text editor, as the ini file is a normal text file. Using an ini file may not be much of an advantage for a simple program like ExecuteAt, but for a more complex program, it can save your day.

But again, it depends on your peronal taste, which one you use.


History

V0.3

- The first version which is compiled with Microsoft Visual C++ 2010 Express.

- Using ResEdit (http://www.resedit.net/) to generate the resources.

- Using HelpNDoc to generate this Help File.


Development environment

I've used Open Watcom development tools in the past, which may be downloaded from http://www.openwatcom.org/.

Recently I changed to the free version of Microsoft Visual C++ Express (http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/en-us/products/2010-editions/express). It generates faster and more compact code than Open Watcom and it is better supported by 3rd party tools like ResEdit (http://www.resedit.net/).

This document was generated with HelpNDoc (http://www.helpndoc.com/).


Contacting the author

I may be contacted by email at michael_@_dk8pp.de (remove the underscores; as I occasionally change my email addresses due to excessive spam, please check http://www.dk8pp.de if the above one should not work.)

Feel free to write an email if you find any problems or to suggest improvements.





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