Question

WSH/VBScript connnect to registry key with special characters in the name?

Asked by: pillbug22

How can I connect to a registry key that has special characters (i.e. "\") in the key name? (using WSH/VBScript)

When I currently try using

Set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")  
sRegVal = "HKCU\" & sRegTree & "\" & sDefaultPrinter
sPrinter = objShell.RegRead(sRegVal)

And the sDefaultPrinter has "\" in it (from our print server, i.e. \\printserver\printer)    it says it can't connect to the key. Error "Invalid root in the registry key"

Suggestions? Thanks in advance,
-chris

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Asked On
2007-06-12 at 13:57:36ID22629689
Tags

registry

,

root

,

key

Topics

Scripting Languages

,

VB Script

,

Miscellaneous Programming

Participating Experts
3
Points
0
Comments
11

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Answers

 

by: RobSampsonPosted on 2007-06-12 at 15:16:13ID: 19270413

I believe you will have to double your backslashes.
Try this:
Set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")  
sRegVal = "HKCU\" & sRegTree & "\" & Replace(sDefaultPrinter, "\", "\\")
sPrinter = objShell.RegRead(sRegVal)

Regards,

Rob.

 

by: pillbug22Posted on 2007-06-13 at 07:01:45ID: 19274638

Nope. Same error, but it did replace the slashes:

Error: Invalid root in registry key "HKCU\Software\Meditech\Wrkstn\INIPTPDRIVER\\\\mcdhprinters\\mcdha2sisp04
Code: 80070057
Source: WshShell.RegRead

 

by: pillbug22Posted on 2007-06-13 at 08:26:55ID: 19275351

Found a different way to connect to the registry, which works with the slashes in the property name:

Set objReg = GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\.\root\default:StdRegProv")
strRegVal = <registry tree/keys/subkeys>
strValueName = <property name>
objReg.GetStringValue HKEY_CURRENT_USER, strRegVal, strValueName, strValue
msgbox(strValue)

 

by: grayePosted on 2007-06-13 at 12:40:23ID: 19277437

There is a somewhat standard convention of storing the "\" character as "#".   You'll see this often in the registry..

But that means you'll have to do the character replacement yourself (at both "ends"... read the registry and writing to the registry)

 

by: RobSampsonPosted on 2007-06-13 at 14:45:44ID: 19278468

Hi, your different way does work as long as you have HKEY_CURRENT_USER defined correctly as a constant, which should be:
Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001

Regards,

Rob.

 

by: pillbug22Posted on 2007-06-13 at 14:53:41ID: 19278530

Yup - I just copy/paste the registry constants into my new scripts, so I always forget to add those when posting...

 

by: RobSampsonPosted on 2007-06-22 at 20:52:47ID: 19346347

Vee_Mod, seeing as there is a perfectly workable solution here, my response with the
Const HKEY_CURRENT_USER = &H80000001
does add to the solution of it, even though the asker figured it out.
I would suggest applying a lower grade to my response, just to leave the answer valid.

Regards,

Rob.

 

by: pillbug22Posted on 2007-06-25 at 05:25:40ID: 19354998

I don't mind awarding the points if Vee_Mod says to, but doesn't that leave EE open to a huge loophole?

I could start going around looking for questions that have already been answered, copy it as my own and say, "yup, I agree, that works" and start getting ponts for not really contributing anything.

 

by: RobSampsonPosted on 2007-06-25 at 15:20:07ID: 19359694

I don't mean to be disrespectful to EE, it is an amazing collection of useful information.  I guess what I'm saying is that even if Vee_Mod PAQed the question to himself, it would leave a useful answer here on EE, that's all.  I'm not fussed about obtaining the points.

Thanks guys,

Rob.

 

by: Vee_ModPosted on 2007-06-29 at 05:32:45ID: 19388791

Closed, no points refunded.
Vee_Mod
Community Support Moderator

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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