Programs Log

Hey does anyone know how to do a console program that would record the programs installed on a system and then copy this log file to a floppy? i know how to make stuff copy to a floppy i just dont know if its possible to record the programs installed on a computer. Im using Windows XP and Dev-C++.
Is there a log file that contain the program files or do i have to create it? if i do please help me.

This is a windows question. I think the data is contained somewhere in the registry. Take a look at MSDN at http://msdn.microsoft.com

- Sean

ok that page didnt help me at all. i know what key is the one that holds the program files but i just dont know how to extract the info out of it. like make a *.reg but without having to open the registry. i would like to program a console or windows app that would take some info from the registry and then make a .reg or .log file of the data that has been taken out. any suggestions?

This shouldn't be too hard to do. Since I'm using win98 se my registers may not be the same as yours. I think installed programs go in HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software. There is another register that holds the names of the programs that appear in the Remove Programs box.

This is really not a dos question buddy. And if you need to do this from dos you are going to need to write a program that reads registers (yikes).

yeah well i dont wanna do a complicated program that takes forever to write. it doesnt need to get info from the registry i just need to know what programs are install. coulent you do this by making a program that would read what folders are in %programfiles% and then make a log file or a txt file containing the names of the folders??

You could do it that way but it wouldn't necessarily be accurate. I try and keep programs in the program files directory but not all of the programs installed are in there. I really don't see an easy way of doing this from dos. That is just the way things tend to work out when one OS is completely different than another and you need them to communicate with one another.

Hang on a sec. I just noticed that you are using Dev-C++. That means you are your program is probably not booting before windows (since it is a windows program), just do the register thing. If you can tell me where this stuff is in the registers I can give you some code to read the registers.

Still not accurate. The majority of the programs I use generate no registry keys. The best solution is to search the entire hard drive for *.exe and *.com files. Easiest way to do that is to just traverse the file structure and flip though all folders/files 1 at a time.

doesnt have to be accurate i just need the programs that are in the program files which most of them write keys t the registry. like games, anti-virus, and general programs. can any one give me a code or a way to start? im not that exepert in programming... i dont even know how to program on "WINDOWS" i just know a little about "console app"

>>Copy to a Floppy

HEHE- I like the sound of that! LOL :D