C# How To Check If Registry Value Exist?

Question

5.00/5 (1 vote)

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Hello all.
I would like to know how to check if a Registry value exist in C#.
i know how to do this in VB:

VB

If Microsoft.Win32.Registry.GetValue("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Number Averaging Program", "SpeechEnable", Nothing) Is Nothing Then
    MsgBox("There Are No Registry Settings To Delete!", Microsoft.VisualBasic.MsgBoxStyle.OkOnly, "Number Averaging Program")
Else
    Microsoft.Win32.Registry.CurrentUser.DeleteSubKey("Software\Number Averaging Program")
    MsgBox("Registry Settings Cleared Successfully!", Microsoft.VisualBasic.MsgBoxStyle.OkOnly, "Number Averaging Program")
End If

But how would i do this in C#?
Here is what i have so far(its in C#):

C#

if (Microsoft.Win32.Registry.GetValue("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\On Screen Keyboard", "SpeechSave", null) is Nullable)
{
    Registry.SetValue("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\On Screen Keyboard\\Directories", "DictationEnabled", false);
}

Thanks for all of your help in advance.

Posted 9-Dec-14 6:47am

MasterCodeon

Updated 9-Dec-14 6:54am

v2

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Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-09T06:49:00

Solution 1

All you need is to add using to Microsoft.Win32 namespace (VB.NET project has it by deafult) and the rest is the same...

C#

using Microsoft.Win32;

// ...

if (Registry.GetValue(@"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Key-Name", "Value-Name", null) == null)
{
  // ...
}

Posted 9-Dec-14 6:49am

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter

Updated 9-Dec-14 6:59am

v3

Comments

Richard Deeming 9-Dec-14 12:52pm

Don't forget you need to escape the path string, or use a literal string. :)

Also, there isn't a Microsoft.Win32 assembly; it's a namespace in the mscorlib assembly.

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter 9-Dec-14 12:58pm

Never liked the registry...

MasterCodeon 9-Dec-14 12:52pm

I already have a reference, and i have converted the VB if statement to the added code in the post.

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter 9-Dec-14 12:58pm

See the updated answer...

MasterCodeon 9-Dec-14 12:55pm

What do you mean by "escape the path string" Richard?
do you mean use 2 \\ in stead of one?

Kornfeld Eliyahu Peter 9-Dec-14 12:59pm

You have two ways in C#
1. "C:\\...\\"
2. @"C:\..\
The first one called 'escaped' string...

MasterCodeon 9-Dec-14 13:01pm

ah ok, giving it a try now.

Richard Deeming 9-Dec-14 13:02pm

Yes, in C# you need to escape a \ character by replacing it with \\.

Alternatively, you could use a verbatim string:
@"HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Number Averaging Program"

Strings (C# Programming Guide)[^]

MasterCodeon 9-Dec-14 13:16pm

good to know.
sorry for the newbie question(if you haven't guessed i am a newbie at C#)

MasterCodeon 9-Dec-14 13:03pm

Yes it works!
thanks for all of your help everyone.

Richard Deeming · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-09T06:58:00

MasterCodeon365 wrote:

is Nullable

There's your problem - that's not how you check for null / Nothing in C#.

C#

if (Registry.GetValue("HKEY_CURRENT_USER\\Software\\Number Averaging Program", "SpeechEnable", null) == null)
{
    MessageBox.Show("There Are No Registry Settings To Delete!", "Number Averaging Program");
}
else
{
    Registry.CurrentUser.DeleteSubKey("Software\\Number Averaging Program");
    MessageBox.Show("Registry Settings Cleared Successfully!", "Number Averaging Program");
}