Saving settings and/or data in executable itself on permenent basis

[ruab]

Hi,

Is it possible to save user settings, linear data such as log in the executable file of the running programming itself (on permenent basis i.e. on HD, without using any other file)?

if it is possible then how to read & append the data ?

As it will increase the size of executable file , Will it slow the program down & affect memory occupied? if yes then how minimize it's effects?


Justing asking out of curiosity to improve my knowledge, you can surely take your time if you would like to answer

[maxorator]

You can't write to the program while it's running. You could create an invisible command prompt thread that writes it after the program closes. I am not sure about reading from it.
Basically, the program should be quite unaffected of it, because the sizes of sections are set in the sections' section, so it will not load the end into the memory.

[Salem]

> Is it possible to save user settings, linear data such as log in the executable file
What about multiple users?

Most such programs store settings in either
- the home directory of the user (on unix/linux say)
- the current user in the windows registry (for win32)

[maxorator]

Under Win32, many programs use the APPDATA path, which is usually (in Windows XP): C:\Documents and Settings\User\Application Data

Most of the programs I've seen, set themselves up to HKEY_LOCALMACHINE.

Salem, can the executable be read, when it's open?

[robatino]

Hi,

Is it possible to save user settings, linear data such as log in the executable file of the running programming itself (on permenent basis i.e. on HD, without using any other file)?

See the following thread which I found by googling on "self-modifying executable":

http://www.gamedev.net/community/for...opic_id=384006

I see no good reason for storing the data in the executable itself as opposed to a separate file. For one thing, there's no easy way anymore to verify that the executable isn't compromised if it's changing. Keeping the data in separate files means that a security audit can be restricted to those files only.

[VirtualAce]

Just cause MS saw fit to store data in the exe does not mean it's good practice. Store your data in a file. You could store the settings in the registry, but don't store tons of data there and certainly don't save the project in the registry. Registry is for simple settings you can load later.

[Salem]

> Salem, can the executable be read, when it's open?
Exe files contain a resource section, but that's only for read-only data as far as I know.

Storing volatile data in exe files presents a whole host of problems.

[maxorator]

I tested adding some random text to the end of an executable. That shouldn't be loaded into memory automatically, because it isn't in any section. It didn't give me any errors.

Actually I would prefer using Application Data folder...