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(python2.1-lib.info)_winreg - Windows registry access
`_winreg' - Windows registry access
===================================
Routines and objects for manipulating the Windows registry.
This manual section was written by Mark Hammond <MarkH@ActiveState.com>.
_Added in Python version 2.0_
These functions expose the Windows registry API to Python. Instead of
using an integer as the registry handle, a handle object is used to
ensure that the handles are closed correctly, even if the programmer
neglects to explicitly close them.
This module exposes a very low-level interface to the Windows registry;
it is expected that in the future a new `winreg' module will be created
offering a higher-level interface to the registry API.
This module offers the following functions:
`CloseKey(hkey)'
Closes a previously opened registry key. The hkey argument
specifies a previously opened key.
Note that if HKEY is not closed using this method, (or the
`handle.Close()' closed when the HKEY object is destroyed by
Python.
`ConnectRegistry(computer_name, key)'
Establishes a connection to a predefined registry handle on
another computer, and returns a "handle object"
COMPUTER_NAME is the name of the remote computer, of the form
`\\computername'. If `None', the local computer is used.
KEY is the predefined handle to connect to.
The return value is the handle of the opened key. If the function
fails, an `EnvironmentError' exception is raised.
`CreateKey(key, sub_key)'
Creates or opens the specified key, returning a "handle object"
KEY is an already open key, or one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
SUB_KEY is a string that names the key this method opens or
creates.
If KEY is one of the predefined keys, SUB_KEY may be `None'. In
that case, the handle returned is the same key handle passed in to
the function.
If the key already exists, this function opens the existing key
The return value is the handle of the opened key. If the function
fails, an `EnvironmentError' exception is raised.
`DeleteKey(key, sub_key)'
Deletes the specified key.
KEY is an already open key, or any one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
SUB_KEY is a string that must be a subkey of the key identified by
the KEY parameter. This value must not be `None', and the key may
not have subkeys.
_This method can not delete keys with subkeys._
If the method succeeds, the entire key, including all of its
values, is removed. If the method fails, an `EnvironmentError'
exception is raised.
`DeleteValue(key, value)'
Removes a named value from a registry key.
KEY is an already open key, or one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
VALUE is a string that identifies the value to remove.
`EnumKey(key, index)'
Enumerates subkeys of an open registry key, returning a string.
KEY is an already open key, or any one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
INDEX is an integer that identifies the index of the key to
retrieve.
The function retrieves the name of one subkey each time it is
called. It is typically called repeatedly until an
`EnvironmentError' exception is raised, indicating, no more values
are available.
`EnumValue(key, index)'
Enumerates values of an open registry key, returning a tuple.
KEY is an already open key, or any one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
INDEX is an integer that identifies the index of the value to
retrieve.
The function retrieves the name of one subkey each time it is
called. It is typically called repeatedly, until an
`EnvironmentError' exception is raised, indicating no more values.
The result is a tuple of 3 items:
Index Meaning
------ -----
0 A string that identifies the
value name
1 An object that holds the value
data, and whose type depends on
the underlying registry type
2 An integer that identifies the
type of the value data
`FlushKey(key)'
Writes all the attributes of a key to the registry.
KEY is an already open key, or one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
It is not necessary to call RegFlushKey to change a key. Registry
changes are flushed to disk by the registry using its lazy
flusher. Registry changes are also flushed to disk at system
shutdown. Unlike `CloseKey()', the `FlushKey()' method returns
only when all the data has been written to the registry. An
application should only call `FlushKey()' if it requires absolute
certainty that registry changes are on disk.
_If you don't know whether a `FlushKey()' call is required, it
probably isn't._
`RegLoadKey(key, sub_key, file_name)'
Creates a subkey under the specified key and stores registration
information from a specified file into that subkey.
KEY is an already open key, or any of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
SUB_KEY is a string that identifies the sub_key to load
FILE_NAME is the name of the file to load registry data from.
This file must have been created with the `SaveKey()' function.
Under the file allocation table (FAT) file system, the filename
may not have an extension.
A call to LoadKey() fails if the calling process does not have the
`SE_RESTORE_PRIVILEGE' privilege. Note that privileges are
different than permissions - see the Win32 documentation for more
details.
If KEY is a handle returned by `ConnectRegistry()', then the path
specified in FILENAME is relative to the remote computer.
The Win32 documentation implies KEY must be in the `HKEY_USER' or
`HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' tree. This may or may not be true.
`OpenKey(key, sub_key[, res` = 0'][, sam` = `KEY_READ''])'
Opens the specified key, returning a "handle object"
KEY is an already open key, or any one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
SUB_KEY is a string that identifies the sub_key to open
RES is a reserved integer, and must be zero. The default is zero.
SAM is an integer that specifies an access mask that describes the
desired security access for the key. Default is `KEY_READ'
The result is a new handle to the specified key
If the function fails, `EnvironmentError' is raised.
`OpenKeyEx()'
The functionality of `OpenKeyEx()' is provided via `OpenKey()', by
the use of default arguments.
`QueryInfoKey(key)'
Returns information about a key, as a tuple.
KEY is an already open key, or one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
The result is a tuple of 3 items:
Index Meaning
------ -----
0 An integer giving the number of
sub keys this key has.
1 An integer giving the number of
values this key has.
2 A long integer giving when the
key was last modified (if
available) as 100's of
nanoseconds since Jan 1, 1600.
`QueryValue(key, sub_key)'
Retrieves the unnamed value for a key, as a string
KEY is an already open key, or one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
SUB_KEY is a string that holds the name of the subkey with which
the value is associated. If this parameter is `None' or empty, the
function retrieves the value set by the `SetValue()' method for
the key identified by KEY.
Values in the registry have name, type, and data components. This
method retrieves the data for a key's first value that has a NULL
name. But the underlying API call doesn't return the type, Lame
Lame Lame, DO NOT USE THIS!!!
`QueryValueEx(key, value_name)'
Retrieves the type and data for a specified value name associated
with an open registry key.
KEY is an already open key, or one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
VALUE_NAME is a string indicating the value to query.
The result is a tuple of 2 items:
Index Meaning
------ -----
0 The value of the registry item.
1 An integer giving the registry
type for this value.
`SaveKey(key, file_name)'
Saves the specified key, and all its subkeys to the specified file.
KEY is an already open key, or one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
FILE_NAME is the name of the file to save registry data to. This
file cannot already exist. If this filename includes an extension,
it cannot be used on file allocation table (FAT) file systems by
the `LoadKey()', `ReplaceKey()' or `RestoreKey()' methods.
If KEY represents a key on a remote computer, the path described
by FILE_NAME is relative to the remote computer. The caller of
this method must possess the `SeBackupPrivilege' security
privilege. Note that privileges are different than permissions -
see the Win32 documentation for more details.
This function passes NULL for SECURITY_ATTRIBUTES to the API.
`SetValue(key, sub_key, type, value)'
Associates a value with a specified key.
KEY is an already open key, or one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
SUB_KEY is a string that names the subkey with which the value is
associated.
TYPE is an integer that specifies the type of the data. Currently
this must be `REG_SZ', meaning only strings are supported. Use
the `SetValueEx()' function for support for other data types.
VALUE is a string that specifies the new value.
If the key specified by the SUB_KEY parameter does not exist, the
SetValue function creates it.
Value lengths are limited by available memory. Long values (more
than 2048 bytes) should be stored as files with the filenames
stored in the configuration registry. This helps the registry
perform efficiently.
The key identified by the KEY parameter must have been opened with
`KEY_SET_VALUE' access.
`SetValueEx(key, value_name, reserved, type, value)'
Stores data in the value field of an open registry key.
KEY is an already open key, or one of the predefined `HKEY_*'
constants.
SUB_KEY is a string that names the subkey with which the value is
associated.
TYPE is an integer that specifies the type of the data. This
should be one of the following constants defined in this module:
Constant Meaning
------ -----
REG_BINARY Binary data in any form.
REG_DWORD A 32-bit number.
REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN A 32-bit number in little-endian
format.
REG_DWORD_BIG_ENDIAN A 32-bit number in big-endian
format.
REG_EXPAND_SZ Null-terminated string containing
references to environment
variables (`%PATH%').
REG_LINK A Unicode symbolic link.
REG_MULTI_SZ A sequence of null-terminated
strings, terminated by two null
characters. (Python handles
this termination automatically.)
REG_NONE No defined value type.
REG_RESOURCE_LIST A device-driver resource list.
REG_SZ A null-terminated string.
RESERVED can be anything - zero is always passed to the API.
VALUE is a string that specifies the new value.
This method can also set additional value and type information for
the specified key. The key identified by the key parameter must
have been opened with `KEY_SET_VALUE' access.
To open the key, use the `CreateKeyEx()' or `OpenKey()' methods.
Value lengths are limited by available memory. Long values (more
than 2048 bytes) should be stored as files with the filenames
stored in the configuration registry. This helps the registry
perform efficiently.
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