Archived:Storing application settings in Symbian C++

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Article Metadata

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Tested with

Devices(s): Nokia N95

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Compatibility

Platform(s): S60 3rd Edition, MR

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Article

Created: tepaa (12 May 2008)

Last edited: lpvalente (01 Sep 2012)

Overview

The following example shows how to handle application settings. Settings are stored into the private folder of the application.

MMP file

The following capabilities and libraries are required:

CAPABILITY NONE
LIBRARY efsrv.lib
LIBRARY		estor.lib

Header file, CSettingsData.h

Settings data class for storing/reading settings data from the stream.

#include <e32base.h>
class CSettingsData : public CBase
{
public:
    static CSettingsData* NewL();
    static CSettingsData* NewLC();
    virtual ~CSettingsData();
 
    // Loads itself from stream.
    void LoadL(RReadStream& aStream);
 
    // Saves itself to stream.
    void SaveL(RWriteStream& aStream) const;
 
    // Using default values (e.g. in first time)
    void SetDefaultValues();
 
    inline TBuf<100>& Text() { return iText; }
    inline TInt& Enumeration() { return iEnumeration; }
 
private:
    CSettingsData();
    void ConstructL();
 
public:
    TBuf<100> iText; //Data for text field
    TInt iEnumeration; // Data for enumerated text field

Source file, CSettingsData.cpp

CSettingsData *CSettingsData::NewL()
    {
    CSettingsData *self = CSettingsData::NewLC();
    CleanupStack::Pop(self);
    return self;
    }
 
CSettingsData *CSettingsData::NewLC()
    {
    CSettingsData *self = new (ELeave) CSettingsData();
    CleanupStack::PushL(self);
    self->ConstructL();
    return self;
    }
 
CSettingsData::~CSettingsData()
    {
    }
 
CSettingsData::CSettingsData()
    {
    }
 
void CSettingsData::SetDefaultValues()
    {
    // TODO: Set default values of your setting
    iEnumeration = 1000;
    }
 
void CSettingsData::ConstructL() 
    {
    }
 
// Reading setting data from stream
void CSettingsData::LoadL(RReadStream& aStream)
    {
    aStream >> iText;
    iEnumeration = aStream.ReadInt32L();
    }
 
// Storing setting data into stream    
void CSettingsData::SaveL(RWriteStream& aStream) const
    {
    aStream << iText;
    aStream.WriteInt32L(iEnumeration);
    }

Header file, CMyAppUi.h

Application class that reads settings on construction and stores them on exit.

#include <aknviewappui.h>
#include "CSettingsData.h"
 
class CMyAppUi : public CAknViewAppUi
    {
public:
    void ConstructL();
    CSettingExampleAppUi();
    ~CSettingExampleAppUi();
 
public: // from CEikAppUi
    void HandleCommandL(TInt aCommand);
 
private:
    void InternalizeSettingsDataL();
    void ExternalizeSettingsDataL() const;
 
private:
    CSettingsData* iData;   // Pointer to settings data
    TFileName iSettingsFile;
    };

Source file, CMyAppUi.cpp

void CMyAppUi::ConstructL()
    {
    BaseConstructL(EAknEnableSkin);
 
    // Create private path
    RFs& fsSession = iEikonEnv->FsSession();
    User::LeaveIfError(fsSession.CreatePrivatePath( EDriveC ) );
    User::LeaveIfError(fsSession.PrivatePath(iSettingsFile));
    iSettingsFile += KSettingsFile;
 
    // Construct the data object the settings list will use
    iData = CSettingsData::NewL();
    // Read settings from stream
    InternalizeSettingsDataL();
 
    // TODO: Construct and activate the app view as well
    }
 
// Handle menu commands
void CMyAppUi::HandleCommandL(TInt aCommand)
    {
    switch(aCommand)
        {
        case EEikCmdExit:
        case EAknSoftkeyExit:
            {
            // Store setting data on application exit
            ExternalizeSettingsDataL();
            Exit();
            break;
            }
        default:
            break;
        }
    }
 
// Load settings    
void CMyAppUi::InternalizeSettingsDataL()
    {
    RFs& fs = iEikonEnv->FsSession();
    RFileReadStream readStream;
    TInt error = readStream.Open(fs, iSettingsFile, EFileRead);
    TInt internalizationError = KErrNone;
    // If file existed, try to read settings.
    if (error == KErrNone)
        {
        TRAP(internalizationError, iData->LoadL(readStream);)
        }
    else
        {
        // Use default values in first time when no 
        // setting file exists
        iData->SetDefaultValues();
        }
    readStream.Release();
 
    // Reading failed, settings file might be corrupted.    
    if (internalizationError != KErrNone)
        {
        User::LeaveIfError(fs.Delete(iSettingsFile));
        }
    }
 
// Save settings
void CMyAppUi::ExternalizeSettingsDataL() const
    {
    RFs& fs = iEikonEnv->FsSession();
    RFileWriteStream writeStream;
    TInt error = writeStream.Open(fs, iSettingsFile, EFileWrite);
    // Setting file did not exist, create one.
    if (error != KErrNone)
        {
        User::LeaveIfError(writeStream.Create(fs, iSettingsFile, EFileWrite));
        }
    writeStream.PushL();
    iData->SaveL(writeStream);
    writeStream.CommitL();
    writeStream.Pop();
    writeStream.Release();
    }

Streaming

Some examples of data streaming (reading):

    // String
    TBuf<100> iText;
    aStream >> iText;
 
    // Integer
    TInt iVolume;
    iVolume = aStream.ReadInt32L();
 
    // Boolean
    TBool iBinary;
    iBinary = aStream.ReadInt16L();
 
    // Ip address
    TInetAddr iIpAddress;
    iIpAddress.SetAddress(aStream.ReadUint32L());
 
    // Time    
    TTime iTime;
    TInt64 time;
    aStream >> time;
    iTime = TTime(time);

Postconditions

Application loads settings on startup and stores them on exit.