ini files with windows 8.1

[NewsArchive]

I am asking here as it appears this where the gurus of the deep down dark
secrets of windows reside.
One site of mine is using win 8.1. We have a small app that polls a url and
fetches data. The settings for the app are contained in a simple ini file,
just 5 lines. The ini and the exe are in the same folder, so the problem is
nothing to do with paths. On my 8.1 pc the app and ini work fine. On the
clients pc the exe reads the ini file up a point. It cannot log onto the
other site as the site reports the logon code is in upper case when in
reality it is lower case. We have deleted the ini and the exe. Shut down and
restarted the pc and reinstalled the ini and exe but it still reports upper
case when attempting to log on. I believe it is a win 8 related problem,
possibly with some cache that is holding the original but incorrect ini
information. This is a new pc and no other copy of settings.ini exists on
the pc. The folder is off the root directory to get it away from UAC. We
have not tried to run as admin yet but the manifest is set to run as
invoker. I am open to ideas.
Nev

[NewsArchive]

Nev

Crazy.

Just a couple of questions:

1) is the EXE code-signed?
2) Is the installed path your own, or one that might be a Fork within win7/win8 (i.e.
not under the users "My Documents" or "AppData" etc.

JohnG

[NewsArchive]

Hi John
c:\myapp
The exe is not code signed.
Runs on XP, 7 and servers without error. Just 8.1 at one location. Firewall
is set to allow through. Uses port 80. So we can get out ok but what is read
and transmitted by the app under 8.1 does not appear to be the same as under
7 or 8.
Nev

[NewsArchive]

Hi Nev,

What about sending a small utility (e.g. developed with SetupBuilder) to the
customer that just reads and displays the values from the INI. Then compare
the values from the INI and the displayed ones. As far as I know, Microsoft
did not change anything in the INI processing in Windows 8.1 (the INI
functionality is provided only for compatibility with 16-bit Windows-based
applications). IMO, it's something in the app that causes it and not an OS
issue.

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

Hi Friedrich
My app just reads the ini file which is setup by me. It does no writing to
the ini. We are using Nettalk to do the post and fetch from the web site
along with String theory and xFiles. We do not display the ini settings and
am getting the error returned from the site after posting a request. The
message coming back contains the exact words that were in an incorrect ini
first used. It is though it is reading the original instead of the current
ini file. I'll talk to the techs at the website tomorrow and get them to
trap the request and send back to me. If that fails then I'll get the
website to change the user name to the one with the error. We'll get it
working.
Thanks for your comments.
Nev

[NewsArchive]

This is damn interesting. After 6 hours cycling and getting an error being
returned my client has emailed me to say it is now working. My copy here
with the correct settings is also working. I'll find out more tomorrow.
nev

[NewsArchive]

Neville,

Remember the beetles song?

Let it be, let it be

Dan

[NewsArchive]

Certainly will Dan, when it works.

Neville Wright