INI files

Question

How can we access the information of the INI files in C#? Are there any built-in functions?

Moses Spencer · Answer

It is better to use some alternative to Windows COM API, as 'chrishornberger' mentioned. For example you can try this INI file library for C# .

jrgc6 · Answer

API Calls [DllImport("kernel32")] private static extern long WritePrivateProfileString(string section, string key,string val,string filePath); [DllImport("kernel32")] private static extern int GetPrivateProfileString(string section, string key,string def, StringBuilder retVal, int size,string filePath);

chrishornberger · Answer

PS... you still have options. You can write a C#/VB.NET wrapper around the Windows API INI file functions, or take an existing C++/VB6 library (which again, are readily available all over the 'net) and wrap that up with C# or VB.NET, etc. But given a choice, as Manesh says... you'll want to use XML files or even your own custom format and break away from the Windows-specific models where possible. .NET won't ever be fully platform independent until we... THE DEVELOPERS... demand it.

Mahesh Chand · Answer

That's right. You should use XML files.

chrishornberger · Answer

No. INI files are very much a "Windows-ism" and are deprecated. There is not intrinsic support for them. However, there are several 3rd party libraries to handle them. A google search should net you several results, but freeware and commercial. XML config files are the wave of the future.