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Save Programm Settings internally + how to organize with folders?

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qt c++foldersettings
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  • S SimonSchroeder
    7 Mar 2024, 07:46

    Settings need to be changed in a separate file (or the registry on Windows). Qt does not provide a way to change the executable itself. Files inside qrc are read-only (even if they are separate files on disk, i.e. qrc files read at runtime).

    Every operating system has a default way of storing settings. Just use QSettings (with your "company" and application name) and it will store it in the right place. You can add default values for your settings with QSettings so that you can create the initial settings file.

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    StudentScripter
    wrote on 7 Mar 2024, 11:37 last edited by
    #9

    @SimonSchroeder But doesn't create qsetting endless registry entrys while testing? How to get rid of them?

    S 1 Reply Last reply 7 Mar 2024, 11:55
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    • S StudentScripter
      7 Mar 2024, 11:37

      @SimonSchroeder But doesn't create qsetting endless registry entrys while testing? How to get rid of them?

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      sierdzio
      Moderators
      wrote on 7 Mar 2024, 11:55 last edited by
      #10

      @StudentScripter you can specify custom path where the settings will be saved (to a file, not registry). Then it is easy, when you need a "clean slate" you just delete the file.

      (Z(:^

      S 1 Reply Last reply 7 Mar 2024, 12:05
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      • S sierdzio
        7 Mar 2024, 11:55

        @StudentScripter you can specify custom path where the settings will be saved (to a file, not registry). Then it is easy, when you need a "clean slate" you just delete the file.

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        StudentScripter
        wrote on 7 Mar 2024, 12:05 last edited by
        #11

        @sierdzio

        Something like this? And than remove this path at the end when my development is finished to save it in the users registry?

            QString filePath = "/path/to/your/settings.ini";
            QSettings settings(filePath, QSettings::IniFormat);
        
        
        J P S 3 Replies Last reply 7 Mar 2024, 12:22
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        • S StudentScripter
          7 Mar 2024, 12:05

          @sierdzio

          Something like this? And than remove this path at the end when my development is finished to save it in the users registry?

              QString filePath = "/path/to/your/settings.ini";
              QSettings settings(filePath, QSettings::IniFormat);
          
          
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          JonB
          wrote on 7 Mar 2024, 12:22 last edited by
          #12

          @StudentScripter Yes you can do that. Or you can just go into the Registry at "your "company" and application name " and delete that.

          S 1 Reply Last reply 7 Mar 2024, 12:29
          1
          • S StudentScripter
            7 Mar 2024, 12:05

            @sierdzio

            Something like this? And than remove this path at the end when my development is finished to save it in the users registry?

                QString filePath = "/path/to/your/settings.ini";
                QSettings settings(filePath, QSettings::IniFormat);
            
            
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            Pl45m4
            wrote on 7 Mar 2024, 12:24 last edited by Pl45m4 3 Jul 2024, 12:29
            #13

            @StudentScripter said in Save Programm Settings internally + how to organize with folders?:

            And than remove this path at the end when my development is finished to save it in the users registry?

            Like this, or you stick to the .ini file mode and just delete it in order to be re-created in a clean state by your program.

            @JonB said in Save Programm Settings internally + how to organize with folders?:

            Or you can just go into the Registry at "your "company" and application name " and delete that.

            If only every software dev would do this... :)
            That's why 99% of all Windows users have a bloated registry... because most programs don't delete all its entries even when you uninstall them.
            Some leave it up to you while uninstalling to check/uncheck an option to keep or delete config. and "user data" in the registry, which is fine :)


            If debugging is the process of removing software bugs, then programming must be the process of putting them in.

            ~E. W. Dijkstra

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            • J JonB
              7 Mar 2024, 12:22

              @StudentScripter Yes you can do that. Or you can just go into the Registry at "your "company" and application name " and delete that.

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              StudentScripter
              wrote on 7 Mar 2024, 12:29 last edited by
              #14

              @JonB How i the behaviour with qSetting when i allow it to do registry entrys. I don't want the endusers registry to get bloated over time.

              P J 2 Replies Last reply 7 Mar 2024, 12:34
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              • S StudentScripter
                7 Mar 2024, 12:29

                @JonB How i the behaviour with qSetting when i allow it to do registry entrys. I don't want the endusers registry to get bloated over time.

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                Pl45m4
                wrote on 7 Mar 2024, 12:34 last edited by
                #15

                @StudentScripter said in Save Programm Settings internally + how to organize with folders?:

                I don't want the endusers registry to get bloated over time.

                You know what you write to registry. Every QSetting key is stored the way you set it up.
                Unless you write (possibly) endless arrays to registry, the amount of keys should stay the same.
                You have your "organisation" and your group, so you know where to find your keys.
                How you delete them completely is mentioned here:

                • https://forum.qt.io/topic/114416/deleting-all-registry-entries-under-an-organisation

                If debugging is the process of removing software bugs, then programming must be the process of putting them in.

                ~E. W. Dijkstra

                1 Reply Last reply
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                • S StudentScripter
                  7 Mar 2024, 12:29

                  @JonB How i the behaviour with qSetting when i allow it to do registry entrys. I don't want the endusers registry to get bloated over time.

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                  JonB
                  wrote on 7 Mar 2024, 12:49 last edited by JonB 3 Jul 2024, 12:50
                  #16

                  @StudentScripter said in Save Programm Settings internally + how to organize with folders?:

                  @JonB How i the behaviour with qSetting when i allow it to do registry entrys. I don't want the endusers registry to get bloated over time.

                  I don't understand the question. But what I can say is: when you go to production/have end users under Windows they will expect you store settings in the Registry rather than .ini files (which you won't much know where to put anyway). So it's all very well for you to decide that in your development environment you (seem to) want to use .ini file so you can delete it, but I don;t think you should do that in production/release and that means you will have different paths of code.

                  QSettings is only saving downward from one registry key (as mentioned earlier) so it's not too "polluting", and you are using the same company/application name the whole time so that's it. As for "bloated", the registry will likely be GB rather than MB big, so a few entries from you won't make much difference. Unless you are intending to save megabytes of information, which I doubt!

                  I don't know how you install your application to end users, but most Windows application installers delete application's registry key on uninstall.

                  S 1 Reply Last reply 7 Mar 2024, 13:25
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                  • J JonB
                    7 Mar 2024, 12:49

                    @StudentScripter said in Save Programm Settings internally + how to organize with folders?:

                    @JonB How i the behaviour with qSetting when i allow it to do registry entrys. I don't want the endusers registry to get bloated over time.

                    I don't understand the question. But what I can say is: when you go to production/have end users under Windows they will expect you store settings in the Registry rather than .ini files (which you won't much know where to put anyway). So it's all very well for you to decide that in your development environment you (seem to) want to use .ini file so you can delete it, but I don;t think you should do that in production/release and that means you will have different paths of code.

                    QSettings is only saving downward from one registry key (as mentioned earlier) so it's not too "polluting", and you are using the same company/application name the whole time so that's it. As for "bloated", the registry will likely be GB rather than MB big, so a few entries from you won't make much difference. Unless you are intending to save megabytes of information, which I doubt!

                    I don't know how you install your application to end users, but most Windows application installers delete application's registry key on uninstall.

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                    StudentScripter
                    wrote on 7 Mar 2024, 13:25 last edited by
                    #17

                    @JonB @Pl45m4 Well thanks that answered my questions. :) Have a nice day.

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                    • S StudentScripter has marked this topic as solved on 7 Mar 2024, 13:26
                    • S StudentScripter
                      7 Mar 2024, 12:05

                      @sierdzio

                      Something like this? And than remove this path at the end when my development is finished to save it in the users registry?

                          QString filePath = "/path/to/your/settings.ini";
                          QSettings settings(filePath, QSettings::IniFormat);
                      
                      
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                      SimonSchroeder
                      wrote on 8 Mar 2024, 07:26 last edited by
                      #18

                      @StudentScripter said in Save Programm Settings internally + how to organize with folders?:

                      QString filePath = "/path/to/your/settings.ini";

                      If you want to use an ini file, please use QStandardPath with ConfigLocation and don't invent your own place where to put the ini file.

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                      8 Mar 2024, 07:26

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