Using a config file and performing actions using entries

RyanCaywood (107)
I'm making this program to start my windows services, the way I want to start them, not windows... Anyway, I want it to read a config file, like an INI, or something, and then parse the values into a string or array, then stick it in a system call... Also, is there something I can do besides a system call?

Basically the conf file will be like a list, with service names, and other values, like delay times, etc.

But I don't know where to start on that... I need a few tips to point me in the right direction, then I should be able to handle it from there.

Thanks!

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/*
 * startservices.cpp
 *
 *  Created: Jun 18, 2010
 *      Author: Ryan Caywood
 */

#include <conio.h>
#include <prockill.cpp>
#include <iostream>
#include <windows.h>
using namespace std;

string choice,
done = "Done",
error = "The service is already started.",
startMsg1 = "\nStarting Shell Hardware Detection ... ",
startMsg2 = "\nStarting Removable Storage ... ",
startMsg3 = "\nStarting Themes ... ",
startMsg4 = "\nStarting MSI Server ... ",
startMsg5 = "\nStarting Network Connection Manager ... ",
startMsg6 = "\nStarting TimeSync ... ",
startMsg7 = "\nStarting UPnP Discovery ... ",
startMsg8 = "\nStarting UPnP Host ... ",
startMsg9 = "\nStarting Wireless Auto-Config ... ";

char
s1[50] = "net start ShellHWDetection >nul 2>nul",
s2[50] = "net start NtmsSvc >nul 2>nul",
s3[50] = "net start Themes >nul 2>nul",
s4[50] = "net start MSIServer >nul 2>nul",
s5[50] = "net start Netman >nul 2>nul",
s6[50] = "net start W32Time >nul 2>nul",
s7[50] = "net start SSDPSRV >nul 2>nul",
s8[50] = "net start upnphost >nul 2>nul",
s9[50] = "net start WZCSVC >nul 2>nul";

int main() {
	cout << "Starting services and programs ...\n";
	cout << startMsg1;
	if (system(s1) == 2) { cerr << error; }
	else {  cout << done;  }
	cout << startMsg2;
	if (system(s2) == 2) { cerr << error; }
	else {  cout << done;  }
	cout << startMsg3;
	if (system(s3) == 2) { cerr << error; }
	else {  cout << done;  }
	cout << startMsg4;
	if (system(s4) == 2) { cerr << error; }
	else {  cout << done;  }
	cout << startMsg5;
	if (system(s5) == 2) { cerr << error; }
	else {  cout << done;  }
	cout << startMsg6;
	if (system(s6) == 2) { cerr << error; }
	else {  cout << done;  }
	cout << startMsg7;
	if (system(s7) == 2) { cerr << error; }
	else {  cout << done;  }
	cout << startMsg8;
	if (system(s8) == 2) { cerr << error; }
	else {  cout << done;  }
	cout << startMsg9;
	if (system(s9) == 2) { cerr << error; }
	else {  cout << done;  }
	cout << "\nStarting PowerStrip ... ";
	if (ShellExecute(GetDesktopWindow(), "open",
			"C:\\Program Files\\PowerStrip\\PStrip.exe", NULL, NULL,
			SW_SHOWNORMAL)) cout << "Started.";
	else cerr<< "Error";
	cout << "\nKilling PowerStrip in 10 seconds (or less) ... ";
	Sleep(10000);
	if (KILL_PROC_BY_NAME("PStrip.exe") == 0) cout << "Killed";
	else cerr << "Error";
	cout << endl << "\nAll done!" << endl;
	Sleep(2000);
	return 0;
}
RedX (156)
Windows has specific function calls to read ini files. Google for GetPrivateProfileString.
Galik (2254)
Why are you using char arrays as well as strings? Why not just use strings?
RyanCaywood (107)
@RedX
Thanks, that's what I was looking for.

@Galik
I would perfer to use only strings, but I can't get system() to use them... it only accepts c-style strings, and I got nowhere trying to convert strings to char arrays then stick the converted array into the system call... I could have got it working but I would have had probably 30 or so more lines of code to deal with. I guess what I mean, is it was 'clunky'.

Although, the entire thing is clunky right now...

It'd be great if there was something besides system() I could use that would accept strings as args, or a decent way to get strings into system(). If there is a better alternative to system(), I'll go with it regardless of char or string args though.
Last edited on
Incubbus (678)
RyanCaywood wrote:
I would perfer to use only strings, but I can't get system() to use them... it only accepts c-style strings, and I got nowhere trying to convert strings to char arrays then stick the converted array into the system call... I could have got it working but I would have had probably 30 or so more lines of code to deal with.


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std::string strS1 = "net start ShellHWDetection >nul 2>nul";
[...]
system(strS1.c_str());
tadaaa...
RyanCaywood (107)
What the.... That was the first thing I tried!

It works though... Thank you.

Maybe I didn't remember to type the () in strS1.c_str() or something... I dunno.

I should have wondered why it didn't work... Lol.

Thanks!
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