Since Windows >=Vista/Server 2008, RegGetValue is available, which is a safer function than RegQueryValueEx. No need for RegOpenKeyEx, RegCloseKey or NUL termination checks of string values (REG_SZ, REG_MULTI_SZ, REG_EXPAND_SZ).
#include <iostream>
#include <string>
#include <exception>
#include <windows.h>
/*! \brief Returns a value from HKLM as string.
\exception std::runtime_error Replace with your error handling.
*/
std::wstring GetStringValueFromHKLM(const std::wstring& regSubKey, const std::wstring& regValue)
{
size_t bufferSize = 0xFFF; // If too small, will be resized down below.
std::wstring valueBuf; // Contiguous buffer since C++11.
valueBuf.resize(bufferSize);
auto cbData = static_cast<DWORD>(bufferSize * sizeof(wchar_t));
auto rc = RegGetValueW(
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,
regSubKey.c_str(),
regValue.c_str(),
RRF_RT_REG_SZ,
nullptr,
static_cast<void*>(valueBuf.data()),
&cbData
);
while (rc == ERROR_MORE_DATA)
{
// Get a buffer that is big enough.
cbData /= sizeof(wchar_t);
if (cbData > static_cast<DWORD>(bufferSize))
{
bufferSize = static_cast<size_t>(cbData);
}
else
{
bufferSize *= 2;
cbData = static_cast<DWORD>(bufferSize * sizeof(wchar_t));
}
valueBuf.resize(bufferSize);
rc = RegGetValueW(
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,
regSubKey.c_str(),
regValue.c_str(),
RRF_RT_REG_SZ,
nullptr,
static_cast<void*>(valueBuf.data()),
&cbData
);
}
if (rc == ERROR_SUCCESS)
{
cbData /= sizeof(wchar_t);
valueBuf.resize(static_cast<size_t>(cbData - 1)); // remove end null character
return valueBuf;
}
else
{
throw std::runtime_error("Windows system error code: " + std::to_string(rc));
}
}
int main()
{
std::wstring regSubKey;
#ifdef _WIN64 // Manually switching between 32bit/64bit for the example. Use dwFlags instead.
regSubKey = L"SOFTWARE\\WOW6432Node\\Company Name\\Application Name\\";
#else
regSubKey = L"SOFTWARE\\Company Name\\Application Name\\";
#endif
std::wstring regValue(L"MyValue");
std::wstring valueFromRegistry;
try
{
valueFromRegistry = GetStringValueFromHKLM(regSubKey, regValue);
}
catch (std::exception& e)
{
std::cerr << e.what();
}
std::wcout << valueFromRegistry;
}
Its parameter dwFlags supports flags for type restriction, filling the value buffer with zeros on failure (RRF_ZEROONFAILURE) and 32/64bit registry access (RRF_SUBKEY_WOW6464KEY, RRF_SUBKEY_WOW6432KEY) for 64bit programs.