Where to store program settings instead of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE?

Question

I have some program settings that are currently stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. Due to Vista and locked down users, some users don\'t have permission to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, an

Answer 1

Might be some good place in the registry to put them I don't know about, but why not just add an ini-file in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\yourApp

Answer 2

What @uli said, with one exception.

Settings that never change or should only be changed by an administrator can --should, even-- be kept in the same folder as the application to help prevent tampering.

Connection info for a database sounds like the kind of thing that shouldn't be changed without administrator intervention. Therefore in this case your application's folder might be okay.

Answer 3

Can you make a .msi file that can be used to push the registry settings out through group policy?

Answer 4

There's always old fashioned INI files. They are more portable that registry settings. Another option would be an XML file.

Don't store them in the Program Files directory though - Vista won't like that.