spaces when importing registry files

  • Thread starter Thread starter ms
  • Start date Start date
M

ms

hi all.

I tried to import registry files into component designer. If keys
include spaces in their name, this spaces are removed at import. i.e.
"Apache Group" becomes "ApacheGroup". How can I avoid this "Feature"?

regards

Michael
 
Hi Michael,

This is a tough problem - especially if you have a huge list of registry
keys. The only solution thus far is to temporarily manually edit your .REG
file, import the file into a SLD file, and then manually modify that file
with Notepad to remove the temporary edits from the SLD file. Here's a
walkthrough on how to do this.



Step one is to modify your .REG file with some temporary edits so that all
of these changes are traceable and revert able. I'd suggest to copy off all
files before manually modifying them to ensure that if something goes awry
that you have a backup of the base file. Open your .REG file and replace
all instances of a single space with "((BAD_SPACE_VALUE))" [Without the
quotes]. Below are some test registry keys that show that this operation is
*GENERALLY* safe; however, please always keep track of what has changed with
a differencing application such as Beyond Compare from Scooter Software.
(http://scootersoftware.com/)



********Inside .REG File**********

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\test 1]



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\test 1\test 2]
"te st 4"="qw3r aser3 3rawer"
"test 5"=hex:32,14,23,ad,f2,3a,e2,3a,e0
"test 6"=dword:21341234
"test
7"=hex(7):31,00,32,00,33,00,34,00,35,00,36,00,00,00,31,00,32,00,33,00,34,\
00,35,00,36,00,20,00,37,00,38,00,39,00,30,00,00,00,00,00
"test
8"=hex(2):32,00,33,00,72,00,20,00,25,00,31,00,30,00,25,00,5c,00,77,00,69,\
00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,00,00

******************************



Translates to the following inside of the registry



********Inside of Registry*********

HKLM\Software\Test 1\Test 2\

test 4 : REG_SZ : qw3r aser3 3rawer

test 5 : REG_BINARY : "32 14 23 AD F2 3A E2 3A E0"

test 6 : REG_DWORD : 21341234(h) or 557060660(d)

test 7 : REG_MULTI_SZ : 123456

123456 7890

test 8 : REG_EXPAND_SZ : 23r %10%\windows

******************************



As should be evident is that doing the replace all for the single space
entries is *RELATIVELY* safe; however, one should *DEFINATELY* double check
to ensure that the keys are still ok after the fact.



So - now that you have this portion done the second step is to import the
..REG file into Component Designer and save off the resulting SLD file. Turn
around and copy the SLD file into another file to back up the SLD in case
something bad happens. The third step is to open that SLD file in Notepad
and replace all instances of "((BAD_SPACE_VALUE))" [Without Quotes] with a
single space. The final step is to verify the results on a couple items
then save off the SLD file. Re-open the modified SLD file with Component
Designer and verify that your registry keys are how they should be and not
malformed, contain the "((BAD_SPACE_VALUE))" string, or any other weirdness.
If this checks out ok then you should be good to go.



Hope this helps.

--
Nick Nehrhood
(Windows Embedded Group)



Embedded team blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/embedded/
 
Hi Nick!

Thank you for your help. I will try this. This means, that this is a
known problem? Is there any chance for an update in the near future?

Michael

Hi Michael,

This is a tough problem - especially if you have a huge list of registry
keys. The only solution thus far is to temporarily manually edit your .REG
file, import the file into a SLD file, and then manually modify that file
with Notepad to remove the temporary edits from the SLD file. Here's a
walkthrough on how to do this.



Step one is to modify your .REG file with some temporary edits so that all
of these changes are traceable and revert able. I'd suggest to copy off all
files before manually modifying them to ensure that if something goes awry
that you have a backup of the base file. Open your .REG file and replace
all instances of a single space with "((BAD_SPACE_VALUE))" [Without the
quotes]. Below are some test registry keys that show that this operation is
*GENERALLY* safe; however, please always keep track of what has changed with
a differencing application such as Beyond Compare from Scooter Software.
(http://scootersoftware.com/)



********Inside .REG File**********

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\test 1]



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\test 1\test 2]
"te st 4"="qw3r aser3 3rawer"
"test 5"=hex:32,14,23,ad,f2,3a,e2,3a,e0
"test 6"=dword:21341234
"test
7"=hex(7):31,00,32,00,33,00,34,00,35,00,36,00,00,00,31,00,32,00,33,00,34,\
00,35,00,36,00,20,00,37,00,38,00,39,00,30,00,00,00,00,00
"test
8"=hex(2):32,00,33,00,72,00,20,00,25,00,31,00,30,00,25,00,5c,00,77,00,69,\
00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,00,00

******************************



Translates to the following inside of the registry



********Inside of Registry*********

HKLM\Software\Test 1\Test 2\

test 4 : REG_SZ : qw3r aser3 3rawer

test 5 : REG_BINARY : "32 14 23 AD F2 3A E2 3A E0"

test 6 : REG_DWORD : 21341234(h) or 557060660(d)

test 7 : REG_MULTI_SZ : 123456

123456 7890

test 8 : REG_EXPAND_SZ : 23r %10%\windows

******************************



As should be evident is that doing the replace all for the single space
entries is *RELATIVELY* safe; however, one should *DEFINATELY* double check
to ensure that the keys are still ok after the fact.



So - now that you have this portion done the second step is to import the
.REG file into Component Designer and save off the resulting SLD file. Turn
around and copy the SLD file into another file to back up the SLD in case
something bad happens. The third step is to open that SLD file in Notepad
and replace all instances of "((BAD_SPACE_VALUE))" [Without Quotes] with a
single space. The final step is to verify the results on a couple items
then save off the SLD file. Re-open the modified SLD file with Component
Designer and verify that your registry keys are how they should be and not
malformed, contain the "((BAD_SPACE_VALUE))" string, or any other weirdness.
If this checks out ok then you should be good to go.



Hope this helps.
Click to expand...
 
We are currently investigating the fixes required right now to be included
in the next revision of the XPe tools. :)


--
Nick Nehrhood
(Windows Embedded Group)

Embedded team blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/embedded/
---
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.

ms said:
Hi Nick!

Thank you for your help. I will try this. This means, that this is a known
problem? Is there any chance for an update in the near future?

Michael

Hi Michael,

This is a tough problem - especially if you have a huge list of
registry keys. The only solution thus far is to temporarily manually
edit your .REG file, import the file into a SLD file, and then manually
modify that file with Notepad to remove the temporary edits from the SLD
file. Here's a walkthrough on how to do this.



Step one is to modify your .REG file with some temporary edits so that
all of these changes are traceable and revert able. I'd suggest to copy
off all files before manually modifying them to ensure that if something
goes awry that you have a backup of the base file. Open your .REG file
and replace all instances of a single space with "((BAD_SPACE_VALUE))"
[Without the quotes]. Below are some test registry keys that show that
this operation is *GENERALLY* safe; however, please always keep track of
what has changed with a differencing application such as Beyond Compare
from Scooter Software. (http://scootersoftware.com/)



********Inside .REG File**********

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\test 1]



[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\test 1\test 2]
"te st 4"="qw3r aser3 3rawer"
"test 5"=hex:32,14,23,ad,f2,3a,e2,3a,e0
"test 6"=dword:21341234
"test
7"=hex(7):31,00,32,00,33,00,34,00,35,00,36,00,00,00,31,00,32,00,33,00,34,\
00,35,00,36,00,20,00,37,00,38,00,39,00,30,00,00,00,00,00
"test
8"=hex(2):32,00,33,00,72,00,20,00,25,00,31,00,30,00,25,00,5c,00,77,00,69,\
00,6e,00,64,00,6f,00,77,00,73,00,00,00

******************************



Translates to the following inside of the registry



********Inside of Registry*********

HKLM\Software\Test 1\Test 2\

test 4 : REG_SZ : qw3r aser3 3rawer

test 5 : REG_BINARY : "32 14 23 AD F2 3A E2 3A E0"

test 6 : REG_DWORD : 21341234(h) or 557060660(d)

test 7 : REG_MULTI_SZ : 123456

123456 7890

test 8 : REG_EXPAND_SZ : 23r %10%\windows

******************************



As should be evident is that doing the replace all for the single space
entries is *RELATIVELY* safe; however, one should *DEFINATELY* double
check to ensure that the keys are still ok after the fact.



So - now that you have this portion done the second step is to import the
.REG file into Component Designer and save off the resulting SLD file.
Turn around and copy the SLD file into another file to back up the SLD in
case something bad happens. The third step is to open that SLD file in
Notepad and replace all instances of "((BAD_SPACE_VALUE))" [Without
Quotes] with a single space. The final step is to verify the results on
a couple items then save off the SLD file. Re-open the modified SLD file
with Component Designer and verify that your registry keys are how they
should be and not malformed, contain the "((BAD_SPACE_VALUE))" string, or
any other weirdness. If this checks out ok then you should be good to go.



Hope this helps.
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