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NAME
win32reg - Provides access to the registry on Windows.
DESCRIPTION
This module provides read and write access to the registry on Windows. It is essentially a port driver
wrapped around the Win32 API calls for accessing the registry.
The registry is a hierarchical database, used to store various system and software information in
Windows. It contains installation data, and is updated by installers and system programs. The Erlang
installer updates the registry by adding data that Erlang needs.
The registry contains keys and values. Keys are like the directories in a file system, they form a
hierarchy. Values are like files, they have a name and a value, and also a type.
Paths to keys are left to right, with subkeys to the right and backslash between keys. (Remember that
backslashes must be doubled in Erlang strings.) Case is preserved but not significant.
For example, "\\hkey_local_machine\\software\\Ericsson\\Erlang\\5.0" is the key for the installation data
for the latest Erlang release.
There are six entry points in the Windows registry, top-level keys. They can be abbreviated in this
module as follows:
Abbreviation Registry key
============ ============
hkcr HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
current_user HKEY_CURRENT_USER
hkcu HKEY_CURRENT_USER
local_machine HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
hklm HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
users HKEY_USERS
hku HKEY_USERS
current_config HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
hkcc HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
dyn_data HKEY_DYN_DATA
hkdd HKEY_DYN_DATA
The key above can be written as "\\hklm\\software\\ericsson\\erlang\\5.0".
This module uses a current key. It works much like the current directory. From the current key, values
can be fetched, subkeys can be listed, and so on.
Under a key, any number of named values can be stored. They have names, types, and data.
win32reg supports storing of the following types:
* REG_DWORD, which is an integer
* REG_SZ, which is a string
* REG_BINARY, which is a binary
Other types can be read, and are returned as binaries.
There is also a "default" value, which has the empty string as name. It is read and written with the atom
default instead of the name.
Some registry values are stored as strings with references to environment variables, for example,
%SystemRoot%Windows. SystemRoot is an environment variable, and is to be replaced with its value.
Function expand/1 is provided so that environment variables surrounded by % can be expanded to their
values.
For more information on the Windows registry, see consult the Win32 Programmer's Reference.
DATA TYPES
reg_handle()
As returned by open/1.
name() = string() | default
value() = string() | integer() | binary()
EXPORTS
change_key(RegHandle, Key) -> ReturnValue
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
Key = string()
ReturnValue = ok | {error, ErrorId :: atom()}
Changes the current key to another key. Works like cd. The key can be specified as a relative path
or as an absolute path, starting with \.
change_key_create(RegHandle, Key) -> ReturnValue
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
Key = string()
ReturnValue = ok | {error, ErrorId :: atom()}
Creates a key, or just changes to it, if it is already there. Works like a combination of mkdir
and cd. Calls the Win32 API function RegCreateKeyEx().
The registry must have been opened in write mode.
close(RegHandle) -> ok
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
Closes the registry. After that, the RegHandle cannot be used.
current_key(RegHandle) -> ReturnValue
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
ReturnValue = {ok, string()}
Returns the path to the current key. This is the equivalent of pwd.
Notice that the current key is stored in the driver, and can be invalid (for example, if the key
has been removed).
delete_key(RegHandle) -> ReturnValue
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
ReturnValue = ok | {error, ErrorId :: atom()}
Deletes the current key, if it is valid. Calls the Win32 API function RegDeleteKey(). Notice that
this call does not change the current key (unlike change_key_create/2). This means that after the
call, the current key is invalid.
delete_value(RegHandle, Name) -> ReturnValue
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
Name = name()
ReturnValue = ok | {error, ErrorId :: atom()}
Deletes a named value on the current key. The atom default is used for the default value.
The registry must have been opened in write mode.
expand(String) -> ExpandedString
Types:
String = ExpandedString = string()
Expands a string containing environment variables between percent characters. Anything between two
% is taken for an environment variable, and is replaced by the value. Two consecutive % are
replaced by one %.
A variable name that is not in the environment results in an error.
format_error(ErrorId) -> ErrorString
Types:
ErrorId = atom()
ErrorString = string()
Converts a POSIX error code to a string (by calling erl_posix_msg:message/1).
open(OpenModeList) -> ReturnValue
Types:
OpenModeList = [OpenMode]
OpenMode = read | write
ReturnValue = {ok, RegHandle} | {error, ErrorId :: enotsup}
RegHandle = reg_handle()
Opens the registry for reading or writing. The current key is the root (HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT). Flag
read in the mode list can be omitted.
Use change_key/2 with an absolute path after open.
set_value(RegHandle, Name, Value) -> ReturnValue
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
Name = name()
Value = value()
ReturnValue = ok | {error, ErrorId :: atom()}
Sets the named (or default) value to value. Calls the Win32 API function RegSetValueEx(). The
value can be of three types, and the corresponding registry type is used. The supported types are
the following:
* REG_DWORD for integers
* REG_SZ for strings
* REG_BINARY for binaries
Other types cannot be added or changed.
The registry must have been opened in write mode.
sub_keys(RegHandle) -> ReturnValue
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
ReturnValue = {ok, [SubKey]} | {error, ErrorId :: atom()}
SubKey = string()
Returns a list of subkeys to the current key. Calls the Win32 API function EnumRegKeysEx().
Avoid calling this on the root keys, as it can be slow.
value(RegHandle, Name) -> ReturnValue
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
Name = name()
ReturnValue =
{ok, Value :: value()} | {error, ErrorId :: atom()}
Retrieves the named value (or default) on the current key. Registry values of type REG_SZ are
returned as strings. Type REG_DWORD values are returned as integers. All other types are returned
as binaries.
values(RegHandle) -> ReturnValue
Types:
RegHandle = reg_handle()
ReturnValue = {ok, [ValuePair]} | {error, ErrorId :: atom()}
ValuePair = {Name :: name(), Value :: value()}
Retrieves a list of all values on the current key. The values have types corresponding to the
registry types, see value/2. Calls the Win32 API function EnumRegValuesEx().
SEE ALSO
erl_posix_msg, The Windows 95 Registry (book from O'Reilly), Win32 Programmer's Reference (from
Microsoft)