How to make a custom configuration file to use with your ASP scripts.




NOTICE: Tim recently made an Optimized GetConfig Routine which is more efficient but more complicated.

GetConfig Function
This function was designed by my Co-worker Tim Lasek.
It allows you to make a config file and read values from it easily.
This is a pretty neat little function.

Function GetConfig(Email)

Usage:    cfg_FontFace = GetConfig("config.txt", "cfg_FontFace")

Result:    Arial, Helvetica

Below is the Function Source Code, Example Config File, and Example Usage Code

<%
Function GetConfig(FileName, VarName)
Delimiter = "=="
Dim fs, a
Set fs = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set a = fs.OpenTextFile(Server.MapPath(FileName))
lFound = False
While (a.AtEndOfStream = False) And (lFound = False)
lVar = a.ReadLine
If (lVar <> "") And (InStr(1, lVar, Delimiter) <> 0) Then
tArry = Split(lVar, Delimiter)
name = Trim(tArry(0))
value = Trim(tArry(1))
If LCase(VarName) = LCase(name) Then
lFound = True
lVar = value
End If
End If
Wend
If lFound = False Then lVar = ""
a.Close
GetConfig = lVar
End Function
%>

<%
cfg_FontFace = GetConfig("config.txt", "cfg_FontFace")
cfg_FontColor = GetConfig("config.txt", "cfg_FontColor")
cfg_BorderSize = GetConfig("config.txt", "cfg_BorderSize")
cfg_TableSpacing = GetConfig("config.txt", "cfg_TableSpacing")
cfg_TablePadding = GetConfig("config.txt", "cfg_TablePadding")
cfg_SomeText = GetConfig("config.txt", "cfg_SomeText")
%>

<%= cfg_FontFace %><br>
<%= cfg_FontColor %><br>
<%= cfg_BorderSize %><br>
<%= cfg_TableSpacing %><br>
<%= cfg_TablePadding %><br>
<%= cfg_SomeText %><br>

Would result in the following output.

Arial, Helvetica
#000000
0
1
3
Jack and Jill... went up the hill!

However, you would probably use the variables for other than just displaying them on the page. This is just an example of how to use the function.

The config file in this example looks like this.

Download the example config file.
config.txt

Also if running this on NT make sure the anonymous webserver account has read permissions on this text file. Most likely it probably will have this by default.