Component for bulk Registry adds

[Landon Cox]

I have an app to install on an XPe machine which puts no less than 690
registry variables into play along with many, many files.

I have the InCtl5 utility as recommended by the book "Windows XP Embedded
Advanced" which tracked all the registry adds and values, but obviously I
don't want to have to type them all in by hand into the component designer.
The import mechanism of Component Designer can import a .reg file, but the
format of .reg files is not something InCtl5 can export from what I've seen
of it.

Has anyone found a solution to adding 100's of registry variables into a
component that have been captured by an analysis tool like InCtl5? Or am I
better off just pounding out a batch file to run through all the regedits on
the command line during FBA (make an FBA generic command solution)?

Landon

 

[KM]

Landon,

Integrating an app with many registry entries may be a pain.
When I was doing that I forgot about InCtrl5 which logs don't suit the need but I was using better tool (not free through :-( ) - RegSnap.
It allows you to make registry snapshots and compare the snapshots. The result is always .reg file and also you may see a html report.
Search in Google for more info on the RegSnap.

Also, be aware that Component Designer registry importer has a bug - it looses spaces from registry paths in result SLD file. The workaround is only to edit the SLD manually in CD or, better, in notepad as a regular xml doc.

KM
BSquare Corporation



LC> I have an app to install on an XPe machine which puts no less than
LC> 690 registry variables into play along with many, many files.

LC> I have the InCtl5 utility as recommended by the book "Windows XP
LC> Embedded
LC> Advanced" which tracked all the registry adds and values, but
LC> obviously I don't want to have to type them all in by hand into the
LC> component designer.
LC> The import mechanism of Component Designer can import a .reg file,
LC> but the format of .reg files is not something InCtl5 can export from
LC> what I've seen of it.

LC> Has anyone found a solution to adding 100's of registry variables
LC> into a component that have been captured by an analysis tool like
LC> InCtl5? Or am I better off just pounding out a batch file to run
LC> through all the regedits on the command line during FBA (make an FBA
LC> generic command solution)?

LC> Landon

 

[Landon Cox]

Thank you for the informative reply. It's appreciated,

Landon

 

[Landon Cox]

BTW - I bought RegSnap based on this recommendation as it really seemed like
it had what would be needed - a registry diff ability to write out a .reg
file of the differences.

I have found two pretty horrendous bugs with it. One, regardless of my
comparison settings for generating .reg files from the comparison (redo and
undo .reg files) to include keys and values, only keys are generated in the
..reg files. This completely defeats the ability to pull registry diffs out
in any semblance of useful format. It generates HTML reports which are
correct, but obviously not usable for importing/restoral.

Secondly, if I export a RegSnap .rsnp file as a .reg file, many times keys
will have a redundant 'leaf' on the key name that is not there in the
original registry. ie: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TOC\TOC] when the
origional registry only had: [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\TOC]

So, if you were to restore the registry with this .reg file, it would be
completely hosed up.

I've tried contact LastBit software by both email and phone. NO response by
email and their phone seems to be permanently hooked to a FAX.

This software is so close but yet so far. Thought people might like to know
this.

Landon

 

[KM]

Landon,

Sorry to hear that. I've been using RegSnap v3.1 and do not see the bugs
you're referring to.
I am able to export reg values for sure (otherwise, I wouldn't be able to
integrate a bunch of huge heavy-reg apps in to our images). Also, haven't
see redundant keys in result .reg files.

I'm really wondering if it is the bugs in their latest versions you bought
recently.
Frankly, I've never contacted the software company since I did not have any
question to them.

Don't know what advice to give you. unfortunately, I don't have sources of
the app and can't fix the bugs.
Keep trying to reach Lastbit. They should be aware of the bugs.

 

[Gareth Pye]

If all you need is a 1 time only fix, you can get an old version of
RegSnap (v3.0) from
http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_download/0,fid,19840,fileidx,1,00.asp
its a 30 day trial, but if you've brought the newer one and you find
the older one works better you may find you have little issue
downloading one of the many availble registration keys from a far from
reputable web site (just keep your virus scanner handy)