How to edit a .ini file?

Sriu1

@mrjj I'm giving user an option to browse and change the background-image this new path I'm editing in weston.ini

mrjj

@Sriu1
But the code you show, do not change background-image ?
OR what is the actual issue currently or what you need help with ?

Sriu1

Hi @mrjj @JonB @SGaist ,
This is my code where I'm trying to edit only background-image=/home/tel/Documents/woman.jpg

QSettings settings("/home/tel/weston.ini", QSettings::IniFormat);
settings.beginGroup("shell");
settings.setValue("background-image","myImage.png");
settings.endGroup();

This is my weston.ini before running the code.

[core]
#modules=cms-colord.so
#xwayland=true
#shell=desktop-shell.so
#gbm-format=xrgb2101010
#require-input=true

[shell]
background-image=/home/tel/Documents/woman.jpg
background-color=0xff002244
background-type=tile
clock-format=minutes
panel-color=0x90ff0000
locking=true
animation=zoom
startup-animation=fade
#binding-modifier=ctrl
#num-workspaces=6
#cursor-theme=whiteglass
#cursor-size=24

#lockscreen-icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/256x256/actions/lock.png
#lockscreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Garden.jpg
#homescreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Blinds.jpg
#animation=fade

[launcher]
icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/24x24/apps/utilities-terminal.png
path=/usr/bin/gnome-terminal

[launcher]
icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/24x24/apps/utilities-terminal.png
path=/usr/local/bin/weston-terminal

[launcher]
icon=/usr/share/icons/hicolor/24x24/apps/google-chrome.png
path=/usr/bin/google-chrome

[launcher]
icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/24x24/apps/arts.png
path=/home/tel/weston-4.0.0/weston-flower

[input-method]
path=/usr/local/libexec/weston-keyboard

#[output]
#name=LVDS1
#mode=1680x1050
#transform=90
#icc_profile=/usr/share/color/icc/colord/Bluish.icc

#[output]
#name=VGA1
#mode=173.00 1920 2048 2248 2576 1080 1083 1088 1120 -hsync +vsync
#transform=flipped

#[output]
#name=X1
#mode=1024x768@60
#transform=flipped-90

#[libinput]
#enable_tap=true

#[touchpad]
#constant_accel_factor = 50
#min_accel_factor = 0.16
#max_accel_factor = 1.0

[screen-share]
command=/usr/local/bin/weston --backend=rdp-backend.so --shell=fullscreen-shell.so --no-clients-resize

#[xwayland]
#path=/usr/local/bin/Xwayland

this is after running

[General]
background-image=myImage.png

[core]
%23gbm-format=xrgb2101010
%23modules=cms-colord.so
%23require-input=true
%23shell=desktop-shell.so
%23xwayland=true

[input-method]
%23constant_accel_factor=50
%23enable_tap=true
%23icc_profile=/usr/share/color/icc/colord/Bluish.icc
%23max_accel_factor=1.0
%23min_accel_factor=0.16
%23mode=1024x768@60
%23name=X1
%23transform=flipped-90
path=/usr/local/libexec/weston-keyboard

[launcher]
icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/24x24/apps/arts.png
path=/home/tel/weston-4.0.0/weston-flower

[screen-share]
%23path=/usr/local/bin/Xwayland
command="/usr/local/bin/weston --backend=rdp-backend.so --shell=fullscreen-shell.so --no-clients-resize"

[shell]
%23animation=fade
%23binding-modifier=ctrl
%23cursor-size=24
%23cursor-theme=whiteglass
%23homescreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Blinds.jpg
%23lockscreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Garden.jpg
%23lockscreen-icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/256x256/actions/lock.png
%23num-workspaces=6
animation=zoom
background-color=0xff002244
background-image=/home/tel/Documents/woman.jpg
background-type=tile
clock-format=minutes
locking=true
panel-color=0x90ff0000
startup-animation=fade

Please suggest why is it altering the complete ini file.

JonB

@Sriu1
OK, I think I might guess what you mean (not sure if you've changed code since original?). Do you mean: after you have gone settings.setValue("background-image","myImage.png"); you want that value saved back to the .ini file, and you're not seeing that happen? Then see http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qsettings.html#isWritable, http://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qsettings.html#sync.

EDIT: Oh, now you're changing the question/information ... It's much better if you can do that in the first place...

I can only say %23 is the hex code for a #, and QSettings is choosing to save it encoded. You seem to be using # in your .ini file as a comment character. What makes you think that is acceptable to QSettings?

Sriu1

@JonB I'm not creating any comments.That is the ini file generated by weston.The" # "are not created by me.
I'm just editing it
and why is this getting created
[General]
background-image=myImage.png

I want to edit here
[shell]
background-image=/home/tel/Documents/woman.jpg

Can you please send a code snippet?

JonB

@Sriu1
I don't know exactly why your settings.beginGroup("shell"); is not being taken into account. It's going into General because of:

In addition, if you save a top-level setting (a key with no slashes in it, e.g., "someKey"), it will appear in the INI file's "General" section.

So, if it were me, I would try for myself:

Take out all the the # lines, at least temporarily while I test.
Now try again with beginGroup(). Does it work now?
If that doesn't work, try without beginGroup() and use shell/background-image instead.
Does it work now?

If still not, you can ask with a minimal example, consisting now of just a couple of lines in the .ini file, instead of loads of irrelevant stuff.

I'm not creating any comments.That is the ini file generated by weston.The" # "are not created by me.
I'm just editing it

I'm pointing out that QSettings does not handle those lines in the way Windows/your "weston" does. Which may lead to problems.

Sriu1

@JonB Hi,Thanks for the reply
I tried this as you mentioned.
QSettings settings("/home/tel/weston.ini", QSettings::IniFormat);
settings.beginGroup("shell");
settings.setValue("shell/background-image","myImage.png");
settings.sync();
settings.endGroup();

My ini file after executing_________________

[core]
%23gbm-format=xrgb2101010
%23modules=cms-colord.so
%23require-input=true
%23shell=desktop-shell.so
%23xwayland=true

[input-method]
%23constant_accel_factor=50
%23enable_tap=true
%23icc_profile=/usr/share/color/icc/colord/Bluish.icc
%23max_accel_factor=1.0
%23min_accel_factor=0.16
%23mode=1024x768@60
%23name=X1
%23transform=flipped-90
path=/usr/local/libexec/weston-keyboard

[launcher]
icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/24x24/apps/arts.png
path=/home/samhita/weston-4.0.0/weston-flower

[screen-share]
%23path=/usr/local/bin/Xwayland
command="/usr/local/bin/weston --backend=rdp-backend.so --shell=fullscreen-shell.so --no-clients-resize"

[shell]
%23animation=fade
%23binding-modifier=ctrl
%23cursor-size=24
%23cursor-theme=whiteglass
%23homescreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Blinds.jpg
%23lockscreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Garden.jpg
%23lockscreen-icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/256x256/actions/lock.png
%23num-workspaces=6
animation=zoom
background-color=0xff002244
background-image=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Aqua.jpg
background-type=tile
clock-format=minutes
locking=true
panel-color=0x90ff0000
shell\background-image=myImage.png
startup-animation=fade

This is getting created
shell\background-image=myImage.png

JonB

@Sriu1
Since I specifically wrote: If you use shell/background-image, you must remove the beginGroup(). You ignored that and left it in? Please don't.

Sriu1

@JonB Hi,
I tried this code

QSettings settings("/home/tel/weston.ini", QSettings::IniFormat);
settings.setValue("shell/background-image","myImage.png");
//settings.sync();
This is my ini

[core]
%23gbm-format=xrgb2101010
%23modules=cms-colord.so
%23require-input=true
%23shell=desktop-shell.so
%23xwayland=true

[input-method]
%23constant_accel_factor=50
%23enable_tap=true
%23icc_profile=/usr/share/color/icc/colord/Bluish.icc
%23max_accel_factor=1.0
%23min_accel_factor=0.16
%23mode=1024x768@60
%23name=X1
%23transform=flipped-90
path=/usr/local/libexec/weston-keyboard

[launcher]
icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/24x24/apps/arts.png
path=/home/samhita/weston-4.0.0/weston-flower

[screen-share]
%23path=/usr/local/bin/Xwayland
command="/usr/local/bin/weston --backend=rdp-backend.so --shell=fullscreen-shell.so --no-clients-resize"

[shell]
%23animation=fade
%23binding-modifier=ctrl
%23cursor-size=24
%23cursor-theme=whiteglass
%23homescreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Blinds.jpg
%23lockscreen=/usr/share/backgrounds/gnome/Garden.jpg
%23lockscreen-icon=/usr/share/icons/gnome/256x256/actions/lock.png
%23num-workspaces=6
animation=zoom
background-color=0xff002244
background-image=myImage.png
background-type=tile
clock-format=minutes
locking=true
panel-color=0x90ff0000
startup-animation=fade

jsulm

@Sriu1 Looks like it is working now?

Sriu1

but .ini is getting altered.The "#" starting lines are getting removed.

JonB

@Sriu1
Yes, as I said earlier:

I can only say %23 is the hex code for a #, and QSettings is choosing to save it encoded. You seem to be using # in your .ini file as a comment character. What makes you think that is acceptable to QSettings?

and

I'm not creating any comments.That is the ini file generated by weston.The" # "are not created by me.
I'm just editing it

I'm pointing out that QSettings does not handle those lines in the way Windows/your "weston" does. Which may lead to problems.

Sriu1

@JonB Hi Thanks,
The ini is weston generated.How to handle the # lines in it ?If I give the ini without # lines my application is not working.Please suggest

JonB

@Sriu1
So if your .ini file is not acceptable wrt the #s after you have modified it via QSettings (which does not necessarily claim to be compatible with existing .ini file formats from what I can see, only compatible with its own reading & writing), and you or someone else cannot find a call to make it compatible, you seem to have 3 choices:

Do not use QSettings. Write your own reader/writer.
Use QSettings as the reader, but not the writer. Do your own writing instead.
Allow QSettings to write back. When finished, read the .ini file back as a text file and do your own substitution of %23s back to #s as you write it out as a text file.