When editing an ini file with dcsTools Ini Editor, it's important to note that when the file is opened, it is kept entirely in system memory and all changes are made to the in-memory copy of the file. Changes are only permanent when you explicitly save the edited file. This provides some flexibility in the sense that changes are only saved when you decide the changed information is OK.
To edit any value, either a section name or key/value item, select the item to be edited and press the [F2] key or [Double-Click] on the item.
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If you have the data navigator displayed (checked), you can use the toolbar buttons to begin editing, add or delete items. See the topic on Using Data Navigators for more information. |
As changes are made, the application status bar is updated to reflect the count of changes made. The status LED is red when changes have been made, as a quick indicator the file has been edited.
Deleting Items
To delete a section or value, select the row to be deleted and press the [Del] key. You will be prompted to confirm the deletion. After confirming the deletion, the change counter and LED on the status bar are updated.
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If you delete a section, all parameters (key/value pairs) associated with that section are also deleted. There is no undo for this operation, other than reloading the file without saving it. |
Adding Items
To add a section or key, select the location where you want to add the item and press the [Ins] key. Enter the information as needed. When you move off the newly-inserted row, the changes are posted to the in-memory copy of the ini file and the status bar is updated accordingly.
To cancel an insert, touch the [Esc] key or use the data navigator [Cancel Edit] button.
Placing Comments in an INI File
While less common today, INI files may have comments embedded in them. Comments are essentially user notes that may describe the purpose of a particular key or section - or may represent what amounts to disabling a key (making it invisible to the application using the INI file).
By convention, comments in an INI file being with a semicolon ( ; ). The characters "REM" are also used on occasion. These comment prefixes are used to prevent the user from manually editing an INI file and inadvertently creating a key/value pair that is recognized by the application that uses the file.
You can insert or edit comments with some limitations and side effects. See the section on Known Issues & Limitations for information on where to place comments.
