Configuration File VIs read and create Windows configuration settings files, including platform-specific data. Files use the .ini configuration settings file format and support cross-platform access.

Use the Configuration File for the following purposes:

  • Read and create Windows configuration settings .ini files
  • Write platform-specific data, such as paths, in a platform-independent format so that you can use the files these VIs generate across multiple platforms

The Configuration File VIs use the configuration settings file format. You can use the Configuration File VIs on any platform to read and write files created by the VIs. However, you cannot use the Configuration File VIs to create or modify configuration files in a macOS or Linux format.

Note The Configuration File VIs support only the ANSI format for Windows configuration settings files.

Refer to the labview\examples\File IO\Configuration (INI)\Configuration (INI) File.lvproj for examples of using the Configuration File VIs.

Note The standard extension for Windows configuration settings files is .ini. but the Configuration File VIs work with files with any extension, provided the content is in the correct format.

A standard Windows configuration settings file is a specific format for storing data in a text file. You can programmatically access data within the .ini file easily because it follows a specific format.

Configuration File Example

For example, consider a configuration settings file with the following contents:

[Data]
Value=7.2

You can use the Configuration File VIs to read this data, as shown in the following block diagram. This VI uses the Read Key VI to read the key named Value from the section called Data. This VI works regardless of how the file changes, provided the file remains in the Windows configuration settings file format.

Figure 40. Sample Configuration File VI
Block diagram showing Configuration File VIs to read a key from a .ini file.