IniRead() Not Finding Values

[jdillig]

Gentlemen,

Hopefully you can help me out here. I have been beating my head against a wall for about a week trying to figure this one out before writing this.

I have a simple setup where i am storing information inside a .ini file and using the IniRead() function to pull this information. I have done this in the past and not had an issue until now. The $Lab_LDConfig_Descript variable always will equal the "0" default value and i cannot figure out why. I can take the full path (from the root) and past into CMD and it will find and open the .ini so I do not believe it is an issue with the path. I have also tried UTF and ANSI encoding on the file and this did not change anything.

Hopefully this is something stupid and simple but I cannot find it!

 

Here is the basic code:

$Lab_LDConfig_Descript = IniRead(@ScriptDir&"\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini","Lab Description","Description",0)

    if $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = 0 Then

        MsgBox(0,"Error!","Iniread returned 0!")
    Else
        MsgBox(0,"Success!","Iniread returned "&$Lab_LDConfig_Descript)
    EndIf

The LDConfig.ini file contains the following:

[Lab Description]
Description=This is a lab
[OVF Instructions]
OVFDeploy=instructions here

 

[Melba23]

jdillig,

Welcome to the AutoIt forums.

IniRead returns a string - you are comparing it to a number. Change the line to read:

if $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = "0" Then

and all will be well. Basically mixing numbers and strings in comparisons is a good recipe for tears at bedtime.

M23

[jdillig]

jdillig,

Welcome to the AutoIt forums.

IniRead returns a string - you are comparing it to a number. Change the line to read:

if $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = "0" Then

and all will be well. Basically mixing numbers and strings in comparisons is a good recipe for tears at bedtime.

M23

 

 

Melba23,

Thanks for the response. I tried this and found no difference. I am expecting the $Lab_LDConfig_Descript variable to contain the string, "This is a lab" as read from the LDConfig.ini file.

When I output what $Lab_LDConfig_Descript contains into a msgbox, I still get "0".

[Melba23]

jdillig,

Well, it works for me because I created the ini file and path as you showed in the OP and ran the code before posting.

To explain why I suggested what I did: you were using a comparison with mixed datatypes - in this case AutoIt does an internal conversion so they are the same type, usually to numeric values. Thus the string "This is a lab" is converted to 0 - as it is not a number - and this matched the numeric 0 on the other side. Converting both sides to strings (by adding quotes around the "0") made the comparison valid and the correct MsgBox appeared with the correct value.

Now if you say that IniRead is actually not reading the ini value at all then I can only suggest that the file is somehow not accessible. Try adding a FileExists with the same path just before reading and see what is returned.

M23

[DarkwarlorD]

Good evening. I Tried your script with a few modifications ... take a look:

$Lab_LDConfig_Descript = IniRead(@ScriptDir & "\LDConfig.ini", "Lab Description", "Description", "ERROR")
if $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = "ERROR" Then
    MsgBox(0, "Error!", "Iniread returned ERROR!")
Else
    MsgBox(0, "Success!", "Iniread returned " & $Lab_LDConfig_Descript)
EndIf

For me worked fine, but I changed both the path and the default value returned by IniRead.

Try change or verifying the path of ini file

[SmOke_N]

Out of curiosity, what is the size of the ini file?

[jdillig]

jdillig,

Well, it works for me because I created the ini file and path as you showed in the OP and ran the code before posting.

To explain why I suggested what I did: you were using a comparison with mixed datatypes - in this case AutoIt does an internal conversion so they are the same type, usually to numeric values. Thus the string "This is a lab" is converted to 0 - as it is not a number - and this matched the numeric 0 on the other side. Converting both sides to strings (by adding quotes around the "0") made the comparison valid and the correct MsgBox appeared with the correct value.

Now if you say that IniRead is actually not reading the ini value at all then I can only suggest that the file is somehow not accessible. Try adding a FileExists with the same path just before reading and see what is returned.

M23

 

I added a fileexist() check and it found it ok. Below is the code I used.

 

 

Good evening. I Tried your script with a few modifications ... take a look:

$Lab_LDConfig_Descript = IniRead(@ScriptDir & "\LDConfig.ini", "Lab Description", "Description", "ERROR")
if $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = "ERROR" Then
    MsgBox(0, "Error!", "Iniread returned ERROR!")
Else
    MsgBox(0, "Success!", "Iniread returned " & $Lab_LDConfig_Descript)
EndIf

For me worked fine, but I changed both the path and the default value returned by IniRead.

Try change or verifying the path of ini file

 

I tested your method and it did work when the .ini file was in the same directory as the script. Does anyone know if the IniRead() function relies on a .ini file path that does not contain any spaces?

 

 

Out of curiosity, what is the size of the ini file?

 

The test .ini is only 4 lines (97 bytes) and the full .ini is around 20-30 lines (496 bytes)

 

 

This is the code I used to test with the suggestions so far. It still does not work when the .ini file is not in the same directory as the script.

if FileExists(@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini") then MsgBox(0,"","It is there")
$Lab_LDConfig_Descript = IniRead(@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini", "Lab Description", "Description", "ERROR")

if $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = "ERROR" Then
    MsgBox(0, "Error!", "Iniread returned ERROR!")
Else
    MsgBox(0, "Success!", "Iniread returned " & $Lab_LDConfig_Descript)
EndIf

Edited February 24, 2015 by jdillig

[JohnOne]

Try renaming that folder "R77.20 Standalone" removing the . and see if it works.

Edited February 24, 2015 by JohnOne

[jdillig]

Try renaming that folder "R77.20 Standalone" removing the . and see if it works.

 

Same issue. FileExists() finds the file but IniRead() does not.

[Melba23]

jdillig,

 

Does anyone know if the IniRead() function relies on a .ini file path that does not contain any spaces?

There is no problem with IniRead and spaces - I created the same folder structure as in your example and it worked without problem.

Let us try another test. Try using this and see what you get:

; Add this at the top of your script
#include <Array.au3>

; Then we try to read all section names in the ini file
$aSections = IniReadSectionNames(@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini")
_ArrayDisplay($aSections)

; And then the specific section in which we are interested
$aSection = IniReadSection(@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini", "Lab Description")
_ArrayDisplay($aSection)

Needless to say that works for me - any luck at your end?

M23

Edit:

And I have lifted your "New Member" first day post limit - I think we might need a while to get to the bottom of this!

Edited February 24, 2015 by Melba23

[Trong]

Gentlemen,

The LDConfig.ini file contains the following:

[Lab Description]
Description=This is a lab
[OVF Instructions]
OVFDeploy=instructions here

Global $sFileINI=@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini"; @ScriptDir & "\LDConfig.ini" 

If Not FileExists($sFileINI) Then 
    MsgBox(0,"Error!","INI File Not Found!"& @CRLF &$sFileINI)
Else
     Local $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = IniRead($sFileINI, "Lab Description", "Description", "Error")

     If ($Lab_LDConfig_Descript<>"Error") Then
        MsgBox(0, "Success!", "Iniread returned " & $Lab_LDConfig_Descript)
     Else
          MsgBox(0, "Error!", "Iniread returned ERROR!")
     EndIf
EndIf

Edited February 24, 2015 by Trong

[jdillig]

jdillig,

 

There is no problem with IniRead and spaces - I created the same folder structure as in your example and it worked without problem.

Let us try another test. Try using this and see what you get:

; Add this at the top of your script
#include <Array.au3>

; Then we try to read all section names in the ini file
$aSections = IniReadSectionNames(@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini")
_ArrayDisplay($aSections)

; And then the specific section in which we are interested
$aSection = IniReadSection(@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini", "Lab Description")
_ArrayDisplay($aSection)

Needless to say that works for me - any luck at your end?

M23

Edit:

And I have lifted your "New Member" first day post limit - I think we might need a while to get to the bottom of this!

 

 

So this is interesting, the _arraydisplay() only shows 1 of the 2 sections inside the .ini. The one shown however is not the one I called from IniRead(), it finds the "OVF Instructions" only.

_arraydisplay()

Row|Col 0

[0]|1

[1]|OVF Instructions

 

 

I don't think that the .ini format is incorrect... Maybe it is?

[jdillig]

Global $sFileINI=@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini"; @ScriptDir & "\LDConfig.ini" 

If Not FileExists($sFileINI) Then MsgBox(0,"Error!","INI File Not Found!"& @CRLF &$sFileINI)

Local $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = IniRead($sFileINI, "Lab Description", "Description", "Error")

If ($Lab_LDConfig_Descript<>"Error") Then
    MsgBox(0, "Success!", "Iniread returned " & $Lab_LDConfig_Descript)
Else
     MsgBox(0, "Error!", "Iniread returned ERROR!")
EndIf

Trong,

Same issue, no change

[Trong]

Trong,

Same issue, no change

Global $sFileINI=@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini"; <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

If Not FileExists($sFileINI) Then
    MsgBox(0,"Error!","INI File Not Found!"& @CRLF &$sFileINI)
Else
    Local $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = IniRead($sFileINI, "Lab Description", "Description", "Error")
    Local $LOVF_Instructions_OVFDeploy = IniRead($sFileINI, "OVF Instructions", "OVFDeploy", "Error")

    If ($Lab_LDConfig_Descript<>"Error") Then
        MsgBox(0, "Success!", "Lab LDConfig Descript: " & $Lab_LDConfig_Descript& @CRLF & "LOVF Instructions OVFDeploy: " & $LOVF_Instructions_OVFDeploy)
    Else
         MsgBox(0, "Error!", "Iniread returned ERROR!")
    EndIf
EndIf

[Melba23]

jdillig,

We progress!

The problem is obviously in the ini file itself. I just copy-pasted what you had in the OP into my file - I suggest you do the same and see if you can read it then.

M23

[JohnOne]

I have a feeling this thread is going to go another 5 pages then...

oops sorry, I thought I was using AutoIt but I was actually painting my dog.

Solved.

EDIT:

Or not

Edited February 24, 2015 by JohnOne

[kylomas]

This works...

$Lab_LDConfig_Descript = IniRead(@ScriptDir & "\labs\R77.20 Standalone\LDConfig.ini", "Lab Description", "Description", 0)

ConsoleWrite($Lab_LDConfig_Descript & @CRLF)

If $Lab_LDConfig_Descript = "0" Then

    MsgBox(0, "Error!", "Iniread returned 0!")
Else
    MsgBox(0, "Success!", "Iniread returned " & $Lab_LDConfig_Descript)
EndIf

The comparison to a numeric 0 was wrong...

Return Value
Success: the requested key value as a string. 
Failure: the default string if requested key not found.

Edited February 24, 2015 by kylomas

[TheSaint]

If the last solution provided by Melb23 does not do the job (I'm imagining you may have a bracket error or something like that), then can you open your INI file in Notepad and then take a screenshot and upload here for us to check.

[kylomas]

Dude, the OP was comparing the "string" returned from the iniread to a numeric 0...see post above...

[TheSaint]

We worked that out at Post #2.

All the examples since have been working for everyone else, but not OP.

Hence why we think something is wrong inside his INI file, and it is not exactly as shown.

Edited February 24, 2015 by TheSaint