How to avoid confirmation message when executing a .reg file with shellexecute command

8
votes

In my program I check for a registry key at startup and if somehow it does not exist I execute the reg file located in the application folder wit the help of ShellExecute command. How can I avoid getting confimation messages when executing this command. Is there a way to do that or as per security reasons it's not possible?

4
delphiregistrymessageshellexecuteconfirmation
Don't execute the reg file. Use the registry API directly. – Preet Sangha
I'm sure the advice you gave is valuable but could you please explain as to why I shouldn't do it this way? And one more thing, the registry file I want to execute contains tons of entries which were automatically inserted by a data aware grid components. If I try to write it manually wouldn't it mean a waste of time? – Mikayil Abdullayev
For example, how will you deal with the registry redirector on 64 bit systems? – David Heffernan
I trust this reg key is not in HKLM. Otherwise you won't be able to import it. – David Heffernan
also, you will need admin rights to run Regedit in UAC environment. UAC warning dialog will popup for sure, asking the user to confirm. – kobik

4 Answers

16
votes

Use the /s command-line switch. (see http://support.microsoft.com/kb/82821)

16
votes

It's possible. Two methods are:

  1. %windir%\system32\regedit.exe /s file.reg
  2. %windir%\system32\reg.exe import file.reg

Either will silently import file.reg into the registry.

3
votes

try this for importing the *.reg file,

  procedure ImportRegistry;
       var
        strProgram :String ;
        strCommand :String ;
        fileOne   :String ;
      begin

fileOne:=ExtractFilePath(Application.ExeName)+  'my_Resources\Default.reg';
strProgram := 'REGEDIT' ;
strProgram := strProgram + #0 ;
strCommand := '/SC /C ' + ExtractShortPathName(fileOne) ;
strCommand := strCommand + #0 ;

if ShellExecute(0,nil,@strProgram[1],@strCommand[1],nil,SW_HIDE) <= 32 then
  begin
        ShowMessage(SysErrorMessage(GetLastError)) ; //if there is any error in importing
  end;


end;

Also you can try this link unitEXRegistry.pas

This unitEXRegistry.pas unit has very useful functions to export registry file and also import silently the exported *.reg file

       procedure exportREgis;
        var
         texpr : TExRegistry;
        begin
         texpr:=TExRegistry.Create;
         texpr.RootKey:=HKEY_CURRENT_USER;
         texpr.OpenKeyReadOnly('\MyKey');
         texpr.ExportKey (ExtractFilePath(Application.ExeName)+'ExportedReg.reg');
         texpr.Free; 
       end;

Then to import you can use(silently)

     procedure TForm1.Button1Click(Sender: TObject);
        var
         texpr : TExRegistry;
        begin
          texpr:=TExRegistry.Create;
          texpr.ImportRegFile('c:\myReg.reg');
          texpr.Free;
       end;
0
votes

Apparently there's a bug in REG IMPORT - it writes the success message to STDERR instead of STDOUT.

The following .bat code solves the problem. The success message is discarded, but the failure message is displayed.

SET RegError=%TEMP%\RegError.txt
REG IMPORT "%Settings.reg%" 2>"%RegError%" && DEL /Q "%RegError%" || @(ECHO Error importing %Settings.reg%: & TYPE "%RegError%" & PAUSE)
SET RegError=