Storing the program settings in a file

PhoA program like most Windows applications automatically stores customized settings in the System Registry. These settings cover not only specified in Program settings dialog ones, but also some other interface options such as window sizes, toolbar positions and history lists.

As a bonus you can store settings in a file - it is useful eg when you run the program on another computer and don't want to set up all the parameters again.

PhoA allows storing current program settings as a regular Windows ini file. You perform this by selecting File | Save current settings to file... menu item, or by pressing Shift+Ctrl+S shortcut keys. This invokes standard File Save dialog to enter the name of a file to save settings to. By default the program uses phoa.ini file.

If it is possible to save settings to a file, it is indeed to load them from a file too. You load settings by selecting File | Load settings from file... menu item, or using Shift+Ctrl+O shortcut keys. The dialog that appears you fill the file you have previously saved settings to. By default the phoa.ini file is suggested.

The phoa.ini file have a special meaning: if it is present in the same folder as the program (phoa.exe) itself, it gets loaded when PhoA starts. This default behaviour can be changed in General program settings - the Load settings from phoa.ini if it is present in the program folder, on startup can be turned off which means no phoa.ini autoloading occurs.

NB:

It might be already obvious that settings are being loaded in the following order: at first data are loaded from the Registry, and then (if this is enabled) - from phoa.ini. Thus all settings not covered by the file are taken from the Registry.
An ini-file stores settings not related to the local machine only. Window sizes, positions, states, toolbar positions and visibility, and also the Tools settings are always being stored locally in the Registry.