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Using 4.7.2 on w2k

editing a registry file (.reg) causes it become unusable. Get error when trying to merge the registry file.

Have not had this problem with previous ver of TP.

Any ideas what has changed?

I may be wrong but I think you don't use a text editor for a reg file.
Use Regedit or other similar to import and work with your reg file. HTH

registry info that is exported to a file is plain text. I've been using/editing registry files for year.

TP 4.7.2 seems to do something to the file so that is no longer usable.

I just did the following:

exported HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Helios\TextPad 4
into a file, copied the file
opened the copy with Textpad, added a space and removed it again, then saved the copy.

A comparison of both files showed exactly one difference:
the UTF8 byte order marker 0xff 0xfe was missing.

I then closed the file to create a new document class called reg files, members *.reg.
After creating it, I made sure the checkbox "Write Unicode and UTF8 BOM" was checked (it was not checked in the "default" file class which was used for *.reg before creating the new class).
I then copied the reg file again, opened the new copy with textpad, added a space and removed it again, then saved the new copy.

A comparison between the originial file and the new copy showed no differences.

Therefore: solution:

create a new document class for *.reg files with "Write Unicode and UTF8 BOM" checked.

MudGuard,

Thanks for checking out the problem and providing a solution!

Thanks for the fix -- this problem with .reg patches was incredibly hard to diagnose - it was driving me crazy! This really has to be fixed ASAP by TextPad's developers.

JML wrote:Thanks for the fix -- this problem with .reg patches was incredibly hard to diagnose - it was driving me crazy! This really has to be fixed ASAP by TextPad's developers.

I don't think this is a bug in TextPad. I don't believe .reg files are plain text, but Unicode. As such, treating them is plain text as probably the problem.

http://www.unicode.org/unicode/faq/utf_bom.html#22

Drxenos wrote:

JML wrote:Thanks for the fix -- this problem with .reg patches was incredibly hard to diagnose - it was driving me crazy! This really has to be fixed ASAP by TextPad's developers.

I don't think this is a bug in TextPad. I don't believe .reg files are plain text, but Unicode. As such, treating them is plain text is probably the problem.

http://www.unicode.org/unicode/faq/utf_bom.html#22

True. But the developers should make a default "Registry" class that is configured to save a workable .reg file. TextPad should completely replace Notepad. As it is, before disdovering this fix (creating a new class), I had to switch to Notepad to edit .reg files. People should not have to switch to Notepad, or hunt for this information. They should just install and register TextPad, and never use Notepad again. Period.

Thanks MudGuard...

Ditto what Austin said (Thanks, MudGuard)

And I agree with kemosabe . . .