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

Optimized GetConfig Routine

This one is a little more complicated (requires two procedures because Tim still can't figure out how to create dynamic variables on-the-fly), but is 100x more efficient than the 1st version because it doesn't require multiple accessing of the text file.  Instead it opens and closes the file only once and makes a single pass thru the file for querying all data

Designed by Tim Lasek.

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

<%
Sub GetConfigObj(ReturnObj, VarQuery, TxtFileName)
Dim fs, TxtFile
ReturnObj = ""
VarNames = Split(VarQuery, ",")
For Index = 0 To UBound(VarNames)
VarNames(Index) = Trim(VarNames(Index))
Next
Set fs = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set TxtFile = fs.OpenTextFile(Server.MapPath(TxtFileName))
While TxtFile.AtEndOfStream = False
InputStr = TxtFile.ReadLine
If InputStr <> "" Then
isStr = Split(InputStr, "==")
For Index = 0 To UBound(isStr)
isStr(Index) = Trim(isStr(Index))
Next
For Index = 0 To UBound(VarNames)
If LCase(VarNames(Index)) = LCase(isStr(0)) Then
ReturnObj = ReturnObj & isStr(0) & Chr(149) & isStr(1) & Chr(161)
Index = UBound(VarNames)
End If
Next
End If
Wend
TxtFile.Close
If Right(ReturnObj, 1) = Chr(161) Then ReturnObj = Left(ReturnObj, Len(ReturnObj) - 1)
End Sub
   
Function Config(VarName, cfgObj)
NVpairs = Split(cfgObj, Chr(161))
For Index = 0 To UBound(NVpairs)
NVpair = Split(NVpairs(Index), Chr(149))
If LCase(NVpair(0)) = LCase(VarName) Then
Config = NVpair(1)
End If
Next
End Function
%>

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

<%
Response.Write("cfg_FontFace = " & cfg_FontFace & "<br>")
Response.Write("cfg_FontColor = " & cfg_FontColor & "<br>")
Response.Write("cfg_BorderSize = " & cfg_BorderSize & "<br>")
Response.Write("cfg_TableSpacing = " & cfg_TableSpacing & "<br>")
Response.Write("cfg_TablePadding = " & cfg_TablePadding & "<br>")
Response.Write("cfg_SomeText = " & cfg_SomeText & "<br>")
%>

Would result in the following output.

cfg_FontFace = Arial, Helvetica
cfg_FontColor = #000000
cfg_BorderSize = 0
cfg_TableSpacing = 1
cfg_TablePadding = 3
cfg_SomeText = 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 this function and subroutine.

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.