WPF, please, how can I save names from a listbox to a * .ini file.

Question

Hello and good morning. How can I do so that the names of the files selected in the Listbox by a "checkbox" can be written and saved in a * .ini file for example: (ListTextFile.ini)? Also with button update the list in case to put more names in the listbox. I am very grateful for the help you can give me.

I attach an image and the demo of the project.

Link Demo Edit: https://drive.google.com/file/d/17CpKVVXZx5l7aGPd6255lkDDJUI5bRRV/view?usp=sharing

Answer 1

Hi,
here is a new version:

In your code (CodeBehind of MainWindow) change:

private void Save_Click(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
{
  if (myList.ItemsSource == null) return;
  ConfigClass cfg = new ConfigClass(this.ini_file_root.Text);
  List<string> ltForSave = new List<string>();
  foreach (MyModel obj in myList.ItemsSource)
    cfg.SetValue("ListText.Files", "TextActive", obj.Name, !obj.StatusForCheckBox);
  cfg.Save();
}

and new version of config class (I include comment - uncomment functionality):

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
using System.Xml.Linq;

namespace ListTxt
{
  /// <summary>class for ini files</summary> 
  public class ConfigClass
  {

    #region Fields
    /// <summary>content of ini in xml</summary>
    private XElement config = new XElement("config");

    /// <summary>char for identification of comment, first char is default</summary>
    private string CommentCharacters = ";";

    /// <summary>regex to identify comment</summary>
    private string regCommentStr = "";
    private Regex regComment;

    /// <summary>reges to identiy element</summary>
    private Regex regEntry;

    /// <summary>regex to identiy header</summary>
    private Regex regCaption;

    #endregion

    #region constructors

    /// <summary>empty constructor</summary>
    public ConfigClass()
    {
      regCommentStr = @"(\s*[" + CommentCharacters + "](?<comment>.*))?";
      regComment = new Regex(regCommentStr);
      regEntry = new Regex(@"^[ \t]*(?<entry>([^=])+)=(?<value>([^=" + CommentCharacters + "])+)" + regCommentStr + "$");
      regCaption = new Regex(@"^[ \t]*(\[(?<section>([^\]])+)\]){1}" + regCommentStr + "$");
    }

    /// <summary>constructor to read ini file</summary>
    /// <param name="filename">name fo inifile</param>
    public ConfigClass(string fileName) : this()
    {
      if (!File.Exists(fileName)) throw new IOException($"File {fileName}  not found");
      this.FileName = fileName;
      LoadIniToXML();
    }

    #endregion

    /// <summary>save ini file</summary>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public bool Save()
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(this.FileName)) return false;
      try { SaveXMLToIni(); }
      catch (Exception ex) { throw new IOException($"error writing ini file {this.FileName}", ex); }
      return true;
    }

    /// <summary>full file name</summary>
    public string FileName { get; set; }

    /// <summary>directory of file</summary>
    public string Directory
    {
      get
      {
        if (System.IO.Directory.Exists(this.FileName)) return Path.GetDirectoryName(this.FileName);
        return string.Empty;
      }
    }


    /// <summary>comment entry</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <param name="entry">name of entry in section</param>
    /// <returns>true if entry was found in section</returns>
    public bool CommentValue(string section, string entry)
    {
      var res = from en in (from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec).Elements(entry) select en;
      if (res.Count() != 1) return false;
      res.First().Value = CommentCharacters[0] + res.First().Name.ToString() + "=" + res.First().Attribute("name").Value;
      res.First().Name = "comment";
      return true;
    }

    /// <summary>delete entry</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <param name="Entry">name of entry in section</param>
    /// <returns>true if entry was found and deleted</returns>
    public bool DeleteValue(string section, string entry)
    {
      var res = from en in (from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec).Elements(entry) select en;
      if (res.Count() != 1) return false;
      res.First().Remove();
      return true;
    }

    /// <summary>read entry from section (! case sensitive)</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <param name="entry">name of entry in section</param>
    /// <returns>value of entry in section</returns>
    public string GetValue(string section, string entry)
    {
      var res = from en in (from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec).Elements(entry) select en;
      if (res.Count() != 1) return string.Empty;
      return res.First().Attribute("value").Value;
    }

    /// <summary>set value of entry in section. 
    /// if entry (and section) not exists, entry (and section) are added.</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <param name="Entry">name of entry in section</param>
    /// <param name="Value">value of entry in sections</param>
    /// <param name="comment">true - comment netry, false - uncomment entry</param>
    /// <returns>true if sucsessvully set</returns>
    public bool SetValue(string section, string entry, string value, bool comment = false)
    {
      XElement xeSection;
      var resSection = from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name") != null && sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec;
      if (resSection.Count() > 1) return false;
      if (resSection.Count() == 0)
      {
        xeSection = new XElement("section");
        xeSection.Add(new XAttribute("name", section));
        config.Add(xeSection);
      }
      else
      {
        xeSection = resSection.First();
      }
      XElement xeEntry;
      var resEntry = from en in xeSection.Elements(entry) where en.Attribute("value").Value == value select en;
      if (resEntry.Count() > 1) return false;
      if (resEntry.Count() == 0)
      {
        xeEntry = new XElement(entry);
        xeEntry.Add(new XAttribute("value", value));
        xeSection.Add(xeEntry);
      }
      else
      {
        xeEntry = resEntry.First();
        xeEntry.Attribute("value").Value = value;
      }
      // comment attribute
      XAttribute xaComment = xeEntry.Attribute("comment");
      if (xaComment == null)
      {
        xaComment = new XAttribute("comment", "");
        xeEntry.Add(xaComment);
      }
      xaComment.Value = comment.ToString();
      return true;
    }

    /// <summary>read all entries (without comments) and values</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <returns>Dictionary with entry name (Key) and value</returns>
    public Dictionary<String, String> GetSection(string section)
    {
      var res = from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec;
      return (from en in res.Elements()
              where en.Name != "comment"
              select new { n = en.Name.ToString(), v = en.Attribute("value").Value })
              .ToDictionary(a => a.n, a => a.v);
    }

    /// <summary>get all section names</summary>
    /// <returns>list of section names</returns>
    public List<String> GetAllSections() =>
      (from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Name != "comment" select sec.Attribute("@name").Value).ToList();

    private void LoadIniToXML()
    {
      XElement section = config;
      using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(this.FileName))
      {
        while (!sr.EndOfStream)
        {
          string line = sr.ReadLine().Trim();
          if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(line)) break;
          Match mEntry = regEntry.Match(line);
          Match mSection = regCaption.Match(line);
          Match mComment = regComment.Match(line);
          if (mSection.Success)
          {
            section = new XElement("section");
            section.Add(new XAttribute("name", mSection.Groups["section"].Value.Trim()));
            config.Add(section);
          }
          else if (mEntry.Success)
          {
            XElement xe;
            if (CommentCharacters.Contains(mEntry.Groups["entry"].Value[0]))
            {
              xe = new XElement(mEntry.Groups["entry"].Value.Trim().Substring(1));
              xe.Add(new XAttribute("comment", "True"));
            }
            else xe = new XElement(mEntry.Groups["entry"].Value.Trim());
            xe.Add(new XAttribute("value", mEntry.Groups["value"].Value.Trim()));
            section.Add(xe);
          }
          else if (mComment.Success)
          {
            XElement xe = new XElement("comment");
            xe.Value = mComment.Groups["comment"].Value.Trim();
            section.Add(xe);
          }
        }
      }
    }

    private void SaveXMLToIni()
    {
      using (StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter(this.FileName))
      {
        foreach (var item in config.Descendants())
        {
          switch (item.Name.ToString())
          {
            case "section":
              sw.WriteLine($"[{item.Attribute("name").Value}]");
              break;
            case "comment":
              sw.WriteLine((item.Value.Length == 0) ? string.Empty : CommentCharacters[0] + item.Value);
              break;
            default:
              if (item.Attribute("comment") != null && item.Attribute("comment").Value == "True") sw.Write(CommentCharacters[0]);
              sw.WriteLine($"{item.Name}={item.Attribute("value").Value}");
              break;
          }
        }
      }
    }


    /// <summary>export alle sections, entry, comments as XML</summary>
    /// <returns>XML document</returns>
    public XElement ExportToXElement() => config;
  }
}

Answer 2

Hi,
to read, change and write ini file you can use following class:

using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.IO;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text.RegularExpressions;
using System.Xml.Linq;

namespace ListTxt
{
  /// <summary>class for ini files</summary> 
  public class ConfigClass
  {

    #region Fields
    /// <summary>content of ini in xml</summary>
    private XElement config = new XElement("config");

    /// <summary>char for identification of comment, first char is default</summary>
    private string CommentCharacters = "#";

    /// <summary>regex to identify comment</summary>
    private string regCommentStr = "";
    private Regex regComment;

    /// <summary>reges to identiy element</summary>
    private Regex regEntry;

    /// <summary>regex to identiy header</summary>
    private Regex regCaption;

    #endregion

    #region constructors

    /// <summary>empty constructor</summary>
    public ConfigClass()
    {
      regCommentStr = @"(\s*[" + CommentCharacters + "](?<comment>.*))?";
      regComment = new Regex(regCommentStr);
      regEntry = new Regex(@"^[ \t]*(?<entry>([^=])+)=(?<value>([^=" + CommentCharacters + "])+)" + regCommentStr + "$");
      regCaption = new Regex(@"^[ \t]*(\[(?<section>([^\]])+)\]){1}" + regCommentStr + "$");
    }

    /// <summary>constructor to read ini file</summary>
    /// <param name="filename">name fo inifile</param>
    public ConfigClass(string fileName) : base()
    {
      if (!File.Exists(fileName)) throw new IOException($"File {fileName}  not found");
      this.FileName = fileName;
      LoadIniToXML();
    }

    #endregion

    /// <summary>save ini file</summary>
    /// <returns></returns>
    public bool Save()
    {
      if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(this.FileName)) return false;
      try { SaveXMLToIni(); }
      catch (Exception ex) { throw new IOException($"error writing ini file {this.FileName}", ex); }
      return true;
    }

    /// <summary>full file name</summary>
    public string FileName { get; set; }

    /// <summary>directory of file</summary>
    public string Directory
    {
      get
      {
        if (System.IO.Directory.Exists(this.FileName)) return Path.GetDirectoryName(this.FileName);
        return string.Empty;
      }
    }


    /// <summary>comment entry</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <param name="entry">name of entry in section</param>
    /// <returns>true if entry was found in section</returns>
    public bool CommentValue(string section, string entry)
    {
      var res = from en in (from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec).Elements(entry) select en;
      if (res.Count() != 1) return false;
      res.First().Value = CommentCharacters + res.First().Name.ToString() + "=" + res.First().Attribute("name").Value;
      res.First().Name = "comment";
      return true;
    }

    /// <summary>delete entry</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <param name="Entry">name of entry in section</param>
    /// <returns>true if entry was found and deleted</returns>
    public bool DeleteValue(string section, string entry)
    {
      var res = from en in (from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec).Elements(entry) select en;
      if (res.Count() != 1) return false;
      res.First().Remove();
      return true;
    }

    /// <summary>read entry from section (! case sensitive)</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <param name="entry">name of entry in section</param>
    /// <returns>value of entry in section</returns>
    public string GetValue(string section, string entry)
    {
      var res = from en in (from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec).Elements(entry) select en;
      if (res.Count() != 1) return string.Empty;
      return res.First().Attribute("value").Value;
    }

    /// <summary>set value of entry in section. 
    /// if entry (and section) not exists, entry (and section) are added.</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <param name="Entry">name of entry in section</param>
    /// <param name="Value">value of entry in sections</param>
    /// <returns>true if sucsessvully set</returns>
    public bool SetValue(string section, string entry, string value)
    {
      XElement xeSection;
      var resSection = from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec;
      if (resSection.Count() > 1) return false;
      if (resSection.Count() == 0)
      {
        xeSection = new XElement("section");
        xeSection.Add(new XAttribute("name", section));
        config.Add(xeSection);
      }
      else
      {
        xeSection = resSection.First();
      }
      var resEntry = from en in xeSection.Elements(entry) select en;
      if (resEntry.Count() > 1) return false;
      if (resEntry.Count() == 0)
      {
        XElement xeEntry = new XElement(entry);
        xeEntry.Add(new XAttribute("value", value));
        xeSection.Add(xeEntry);
      }
      else
      {
        xeSection.Attribute("value").Value = value;
      }
      // extend method, if you want uncommen commented entry 
      return true;
    }

    /// <summary>read all entries (without comments) and values</summary>
    /// <param name="section">name of section (in [...])</param>
    /// <returns>Dictionary with entry name (Key) and value</returns>
    public Dictionary<String, String> GetSection(string section)
    {
      var res = from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Attribute("name").Value == section select sec;
      return (from en in res.Elements()
              where en.Name != "comment"
              select new { n = en.Name.ToString(), v = en.Attribute("value").Value })
              .ToDictionary(a => a.n, a => a.v);
    }

    /// <summary>get all section names</summary>
    /// <returns>list of section names</returns>
    public List<String> GetAllSections() =>
      (from sec in config.Elements() where sec.Name != "comment" select sec.Attribute("@name").Value).ToList();

    private void LoadIniToXML()
    {
      XElement section = config;
      using (StreamReader sr = new StreamReader(this.FileName))
      {
        while (!sr.EndOfStream)
        {
          string line = sr.ReadLine().Trim();
          Match mEntry = regEntry.Match(line);
          Match mSection = regCaption.Match(line);
          Match mComment = regComment.Match(line);
          if (mSection.Success)
          {
            section = new XElement("section");
            section.Add(new XAttribute("name", mSection.Groups["section"].Value.Trim()));
            config.Add(section);
          }
          else if (mEntry.Success)
          {
            XElement xe = new XElement(mEntry.Groups["entry"].Value.Trim());
            xe.Add(new XAttribute("value", mEntry.Groups["value"].Value.Trim()));
            section.Add(xe);
          }
          else if (mComment.Success)
          {
            XElement xe = new XElement("comment");
            xe.Value = mComment.Groups["comment"].Value.Trim();
            section.Add(xe);
          }
        }
      }
    }

    private void SaveXMLToIni()
    {
      using (StreamWriter sw = new StreamWriter(this.FileName))
      {
        foreach (var item in config.Descendants())
        {
          switch (item.Name.ToString())
          {
            case "section":
              sw.WriteLine($"[{item.Attribute("name")}]");
              break;
            case "comment":
              sw.WriteLine((item.Value.Length == 0) ? string.Empty : CommentCharacters[0] + item.Value);
              break;
            default:
              sw.WriteLine($"{item.Name}={item.Attribute("value").Value}");
              break;
          }
        }
      }
    }


  /// <summary>export alle sections, entry, comments as XML</summary>
    /// <returns>XML document</returns>
    public XElement ExportToXElement() => config;
  }
}

Answer 3

Hello, I have been doing tests, but since I am a novice in programming, I have not managed to reach my goal. It might be possible that by clicking the "save" button, the names selected in the listbox can be saved in the * .ini file that you select in the "Textbox". Please I hope I can count on your help. I send a cordial greeting.