Read/write to Windows registry using Java

Question

How is it possible to read/write to the Windows registry using Java?

Answer 1

Thanks to original post. I have reskinned this utility class and come up over the flaws which it had earlier, thought it might help others so posting here. I have also added some extra utility methods. Now it is able to read any file in windows registry(including REG_DWORD, REG_BINARY, REG_EXPAND_SZ etc.). All the methods work like a charm. Just copy and paste it and it should work. Here is the reskinned and modified class:

import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStreamReader;
import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
import java.lang.reflect.Method;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.StringTokenizer;
import java.util.prefs.Preferences;

public class WinRegistry {

    private static final int REG_SUCCESS = 0;
    private static final int REG_NOTFOUND = 2;
    private static final int KEY_READ = 0x20019;
    private static final int REG_ACCESSDENIED = 5;
    private static final int KEY_ALL_ACCESS = 0xf003f;
    public static final int HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = 0x80000000;
    public static final int HKEY_CURRENT_USER = 0x80000001;
    public static final int HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = 0x80000002;
    private static final String CLASSES_ROOT = "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT";
    private static final String CURRENT_USER = "HKEY_CURRENT_USER";
    private static final String LOCAL_MACHINE = "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE";
    private static Preferences userRoot = Preferences.userRoot();
    private static Preferences systemRoot = Preferences.systemRoot();
    private static Class userClass = userRoot.getClass();
    private static Method regOpenKey = null;
    private static Method regCloseKey = null;
    private static Method regQueryValueEx = null;
    private static Method regEnumValue = null;
    private static Method regQueryInfoKey = null;
    private static Method regEnumKeyEx = null;
    private static Method regCreateKeyEx = null;
    private static Method regSetValueEx = null;
    private static Method regDeleteKey = null;
    private static Method regDeleteValue = null;

    static {
        try {
            regOpenKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegOpenKey", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class, int.class});
            regOpenKey.setAccessible(true);
            regCloseKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegCloseKey", new Class[] {int.class});
            regCloseKey.setAccessible(true);
            regQueryValueEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegQueryValueEx", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class});
            regQueryValueEx.setAccessible(true);
            regEnumValue = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegEnumValue", new Class[] {int.class, int.class, int.class});
            regEnumValue.setAccessible(true);
            regQueryInfoKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegQueryInfoKey1", new Class[] {int.class});
            regQueryInfoKey.setAccessible(true);
            regEnumKeyEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegEnumKeyEx", new Class[] {int.class, int.class, int.class});  
            regEnumKeyEx.setAccessible(true);
            regCreateKeyEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegCreateKeyEx", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class});  
            regCreateKeyEx.setAccessible(true);
            regSetValueEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegSetValueEx", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class, byte[].class});  
            regSetValueEx.setAccessible(true);
            regDeleteValue = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegDeleteValue", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class});  
            regDeleteValue.setAccessible(true);
            regDeleteKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegDeleteKey", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class});  
            regDeleteKey.setAccessible(true);
        }
        catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    /**
     * Reads value for the key from given path
     * @param hkey   HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
     * @param path
     * @param key
     * @return the value
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     * @throws IOException 
     */
    public static String valueForKey(int hkey, String path, String key) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return valueForKey(systemRoot, hkey, path, key);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return valueForKey(userRoot, hkey, path, key);
        else
            return valueForKey(null, hkey, path, key);
    }

    /**
     * Reads all key(s) and value(s) from given path
     * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
     * @param path
     * @return the map of key(s) and corresponding value(s)
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     * @throws IOException 
     */
    public static Map valuesForPath(int hkey, String path) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return valuesForPath(systemRoot, hkey, path);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return valuesForPath(userRoot, hkey, path);
        else
            return valuesForPath(null, hkey, path);
    }

    /**
     * Read all the subkey(s) from a given path
     * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
     * @param path
     * @return the subkey(s) list
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static List subKeysForPath(int hkey, String path)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return subKeysForPath(systemRoot, hkey, path);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return subKeysForPath(userRoot, hkey, path);
        else
            return subKeysForPath(null, hkey, path);
    }

    /**
     * Create a key
     * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
     * @param key
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static void createKey(int hkey, String key) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int [] ret;
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
            ret = createKey(systemRoot, hkey, key);
            regCloseKey.invoke(systemRoot, new Object[] { new Integer(ret[0]) });
        } else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
            ret = createKey(userRoot, hkey, key);
            regCloseKey.invoke(userRoot, new Object[] { new Integer(ret[0]) });
        } else
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
        if (ret[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + ret[1] + "  key=" + key);
    }

    /**
     * Write a value in a given key/value name
     * @param hkey
     * @param key
     * @param valueName
     * @param value
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static void writeStringValue(int hkey, String key, String valueName, String value) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            writeStringValue(systemRoot, hkey, key, valueName, value);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            writeStringValue(userRoot, hkey, key, valueName, value);
        else
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }

    /**
     * Delete a given key
     * @param hkey
     * @param key
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static void deleteKey(int hkey, String key) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int rc = -1;
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            rc = deleteKey(systemRoot, hkey, key);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            rc = deleteKey(userRoot, hkey, key);
        if (rc != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + rc + "  key=" + key);
    }

    /**
     * delete a value from a given key/value name
     * @param hkey
     * @param key
     * @param value
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static void deleteValue(int hkey, String key, String value) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int rc = -1;
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            rc = deleteValue(systemRoot, hkey, key, value);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            rc = deleteValue(userRoot, hkey, key, value);
        if (rc != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + rc + "  key=" + key + "  value=" + value);
    }

    // =====================

    private static int deleteValue(Preferences root, int hkey, String key, String value)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_ALL_ACCESS)});
        if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            return handles[1];                                  // can be REG_NOTFOUND, REG_ACCESSDENIED
        int rc =((Integer) regDeleteValue.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(value)})).intValue();
        regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0])});
        return rc;
    }

    private static int deleteKey(Preferences root, int hkey, String key) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int rc =((Integer) regDeleteKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key)})).intValue();
        return rc;                                                  // can REG_NOTFOUND, REG_ACCESSDENIED, REG_SUCCESS
    }

    private static String valueForKey(Preferences root, int hkey, String path, String key)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(path), new Integer(KEY_READ)});
        if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The system can not find the specified path: '"+getParentKey(hkey)+"\\"+path+"'");
        byte[] valb = (byte[]) regQueryValueEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(key)});
        regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0])});
        return (valb != null ? parseValue(valb) : queryValueForKey(hkey, path, key));
    }

    private static String queryValueForKey(int hkey, String path, String key) throws IOException {
        return queryValuesForPath(hkey, path).get(key);
    }

    private static Map valuesForPath(Preferences root, int hkey, String path)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        HashMap results = new HashMap();
        int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(path), new Integer(KEY_READ)});
        if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The system can not find the specified path: '"+getParentKey(hkey)+"\\"+path+"'");
        int[] info = (int[]) regQueryInfoKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0])});
        int count = info[2];                            // Fixed: info[0] was being used here
        int maxlen = info[4];                           // while info[3] was being used here, causing wrong results
        for(int index=0; index valuesForKeyPath(int hkey, String path, String key)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        List list = new ArrayList();
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return valuesForKeyPath(systemRoot, hkey, path, key, list);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return valuesForKeyPath(userRoot, hkey, path, key, list);
        else
            return valuesForKeyPath(null, hkey, path, key, list);
    }

    private static List valuesForKeyPath(Preferences root, int hkey, String path, String key, List list)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        if(!isDirectory(root, hkey, path)) {
            takeValueInListForKey(hkey, path, key, list);
        } else {
            List subKeys = subKeysForPath(root, hkey, path);
            for(String subkey: subKeys) {
                String newPath = path+"\\"+subkey;
                if(isDirectory(root, hkey, newPath))
                    valuesForKeyPath(root, hkey, newPath, key, list);
                takeValueInListForKey(hkey, newPath, key, list);
            }
        }
        return list;
    }

    /**
     * Takes value for key in list
     * @param hkey
     * @param path
     * @param key
     * @param list
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     * @throws IOException
     */
    private static void takeValueInListForKey(int hkey, String path, String key, List list)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        String value = valueForKey(hkey, path, key);
        if(value != null)
            list.add(value);
    }

    /**
     * Checks if the path has more subkeys or not
     * @param root
     * @param hkey
     * @param path
     * @return true if path has subkeys otherwise false
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    private static boolean isDirectory(Preferences root, int hkey, String path)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        return !subKeysForPath(root, hkey, path).isEmpty();
    }

    private static List subKeysForPath(Preferences root, int hkey, String path)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        List results = new ArrayList();
        int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(path), new Integer(KEY_READ)});
        if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The system can not find the specified path: '"+getParentKey(hkey)+"\\"+path+"'");
        int[] info = (int[]) regQueryInfoKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0])});
        int count  = info[0]; // Fix: info[2] was being used here with wrong results. Suggested by davenpcj, confirmed by Petrucio
        int maxlen = info[3]; // value length max
        for(int index=0; index queryValuesForPath(int hkey, String path) throws IOException {
        String line;
        StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
        Map map = new HashMap();
        Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("reg query \""+getParentKey(hkey)+"\\" + path + "\"");
        BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(process.getInputStream()));
        while((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
            if(!line.contains("REG_"))
                continue;
            StringTokenizer tokenizer = new StringTokenizer(line, " \t");
            while(tokenizer.hasMoreTokens()) {
                String token = tokenizer.nextToken();
                if(token.startsWith("REG_"))
                    builder.append("\t ");
                else
                    builder.append(token).append(" ");
            }
            String[] arr = builder.toString().split("\t");
            map.put(arr[0].trim(), arr[1].trim());
            builder.setLength(0);
        }
        return map;
    }

    /**
     * Determines the string equivalent of hkey
     * @param hkey
     * @return string equivalent of hkey
     */
    private static String getParentKey(int hkey) {
        if(hkey == HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
            return CLASSES_ROOT;
        else if(hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return CURRENT_USER;
        else if(hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return LOCAL_MACHINE;
        return null;
    }

    /**
     *Intern method which adds the trailing \0 for the handle with java.dll
     * @param str String
     * @return byte[] 
     */
    private static byte[] toCstr(String str) {
        if(str == null)
            str = "";
        return (str += "\0").getBytes();
    }

    /**
     * Method removes the trailing \0 which is returned from the java.dll (just if the last sign is a \0)
     * @param buf the byte[] buffer which every read method returns
     * @return String a parsed string without the trailing \0
     */
    private static String parseValue(byte buf[]) {
        if(buf == null)
            return null;
        String ret = new String(buf);
        if(ret.charAt(ret.length()-1) == '\0')
            return ret.substring(0, ret.length()-1);
        return ret;
    }
}  

Sample of using the methods is as follows:

Below method retrieves the value of the key from the given path:

String hex = WinRegistry.valueForKey(WinRegistry.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\WindowsUpdate\\Auto Update", "AUOptions");

This method retrieves all data for the specified path(in form of keys and values) :

Map map = WinRegistry.valuesForPath(WinRegistry.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\WSMAN");

This method retrieves value recursively for the key from the given path:

String val = WinRegistry.valueForKeyPath(WinRegistry.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "System", "TypeID");

and this one retrieves all values recursively for a key from the given path:

List list = WinRegistry.valuesForKeyPath(
                   WinRegistry.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,                  //HKEY                               "SOFTWARE\\Wow6432Node\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Uninstall",   //path                 "DisplayName"         //Key
            );

Here in above code I retrieved all installed software names in windows system.
Note: See the documentation of these methods

And this one retrieves all subkeys of the given path:

List list3 = WinRegistry.subKeysForPath(WinRegistry.HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "Software");

Important Note: I have modified only reading purpose methods in this process, not the writing purpose methods like createKey, deleteKey etc. They still are same as I recieved them.