Access and modify ArcPad preferences from a VBScript

Summary

There is no direct access to most of the ArcPad preferences from VBScript. These preferences are stored in ArcPadPrefs.apx and exposed to the user in the ArcPad Options dialog box.

A few preferences can be accessed via the Properties property of the Application object, but most require reading from and/or writing to ArcPadPrefs.apx directly.

Procedure

Warning:
The MSXML DOM is present on all Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP and Pocket PC devices; however it is not present on CE 2.x and some CE 3.0 devices.  If the MSXML DOM is not present on your CE 3.0 device, please contact the device manufacturer and ask for it to be included.

• For example, here's a subroutine that turns point averaging on and sets it to the input value in ArcPad 7, 8 and 10:
  

  Code:
  Sub SetPointAveraging (p_AvgTime)
  
  	'Path to ArcPadPrefs.apx file
  
  	Dim strArcPadAPX
  
  	strArcPadAPX = Application.System.Properties("PersonalFolder") & "\My ArcPad\ArcPadPrefs.apx"
  
  	
  
  	'Attempt to create a reference to the MSXML DOM
  
  	On Error Resume Next
  
  		Dim pXML
  
  		Set pXML = CreateObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM")
  
  		If Err.Number <> 0 Then
  
  			MsgBox "MSXML is not present on this device.", vbCritical, "No MSXML"
  
  			Exit Sub
  
  		End If
  
  	On Error GoTo 0
  
  	
  
  	'Read in ArcPadPrefs.apx
  
  	Dim blnExists
  
  	blnExists = pXML.Load(strArcPadAPX)
  
  	
  
  	Dim pNewElement	' Used for new elements that may need to be created alongthe way
  
  	
  
  	'If it doesn't exist, create one
  
  	If Not blnExists Then
  
  	  	Set pNewElement = pXML.createNode(1,"ArcPad","")
  
  	  	Set pXML.documentElement = pNewElement
  
  	  	Set pNewElement = pXML.createNode(1,"PREFERENCES","")
  
  	  	pXML.documentElement.appendChild(pNewElement)
  
  	  	Set pNewElement = Nothing
  
  	End If
  
  	
  
  	'Get the GPS and PREFERENCES element 
  
  	Dim pPREFSElement, pGPSElement
  
  	Set pPREFSElement = pXML.documentElement.selectSingleNode("PREFERENCES")
  
  	Set pGPSElement = pPREFSElement.selectSingleNode("GPS")
  
  	
  
  	'If the GPS element doesn't exist, create it
  
  	If pGPSElement Is Nothing Then
  
  		Set pNewElement = pXML.createNode(1,"GPS","")
  
  		Set pGPSElement = pPREFSElement.appendChild(pNewElement)
  
  		Set pNewElement = Nothing
  
  	End If
  
  	
  
  	'Get the AVERAGING element
  
  	Dim pAVGElement
  
  	Set pAVGElement = pGPSElement.selectSingleNode("AVERAGING")
  
  	
  
  	'If it doesn't exist, create it
  
  	If pAVGElement Is Nothing Then
  
  		Set pNewElement = pXML.createNode(1,"AVERAGING","")
  
  		Set pAVGElement = pGPSElement.appendChild(pNewElement)
  
  		Set pNewElement = Nothing
  
  	End If
  
  	
  
  	'Set the attributes of the AVERAGING element
  
  	pAVGElement.setAttribute "enabled", "true"
  
  	pAVGElement.setAttribute "point", p_AvgTime
  
  	
  
  	'Save the changes to ArcPadPrefs.apx
  
  	pXML.Save strArcPadAPX
  
  	
  
  	'Free resources
  
  	Set pXML = Nothing
  
  	Set pPREFSElement = Nothing
  
  	Set pGPSElement = Nothing
  
  	Set pAVGElement = Nothing
  
  	
  
  	'Force ArcPad to reload the settings from ArcPadPrefs.apx
  
  	Dim blnSuccess
  
  	blnSuccess = Preferences.Read
  End Sub

  
  
  • Here's the equivalent subroutine for use with ArcPad 6.0.x:
  
  

  Code:
  Sub SetPointAveraging (p_AvgTime)
  	'Path to ArcPadPrefs.apx file
  	Dim strArcPadAPX
  	strArcPadAPX = Application.System.Properties("PersonalFolder") & "\ArcPadPrefs.apx"
  	
  	'Attempt to create a reference to the MSXML DOM
  	On Error Resume Next
  		Dim pXML
  		Set pXML = CreateObject("Microsoft.XMLDOM")
  		If Err.Number <> 0 Then
  			MsgBox "MSXML is not present on this device.", vbCritical, "No MSXML"
  			Exit Sub
  		End If
  	On Error GoTo 0
  	
  	'Read in ArcPadPrefs.apx
  	Dim blnExists
  	blnExists = pXML.Load(strArcPadAPX)
  	
  	Dim pNewElement	' Used for new elements that may need to be created alongthe way
  	
  	'If it doesn't exist, create one
  	If Not blnExists Then
  	  	Set pNewElement = pXML.createNode(1,"ArcPad","")
  	  	Set pXML.documentElement = pNewElement
  	  	Set pNewElement = pXML.createNode(1,"PREFERENCES","")
  	  	pXML.documentElement.appendChild(pNewElement)
  	  	Set pNewElement = Nothing
  	End If
  	
  	'Get the GPS and PREFERENCES element 
  	Dim pPREFSElement, pGPSElement
  	Set pPREFSElement = pXML.documentElement.selectSingleNode("PREFERENCES")
  	Set pGPSElement = pPREFSElement.selectSingleNode("GPS")
  	
  	'If the GPS element doesn't exist, create it
  	If pGPSElement Is Nothing Then
  		Set pNewElement = pXML.createNode(1,"GPS","")
  		Set pGPSElement = pPREFSElement.appendChild(pNewElement)
  		Set pNewElement = Nothing
  	End If
  	
  	'Get the AVERAGING element
  	Dim pAVGElement
  	Set pAVGElement = pGPSElement.selectSingleNode("AVERAGING")
  	
  	'If it doesn't exist, create it
  	If pAVGElement Is Nothing Then
  		Set pNewElement = pXML.createNode(1,"AVERAGING","")
  		Set pAVGElement = pGPSElement.appendChild(pNewElement)
  		Set pNewElement = Nothing
  	End If
  	
  	'Set the attributes of the AVERAGING element
  	pAVGElement.setAttribute "enabled", "true"
  	pAVGElement.setAttribute "point", p_AvgTime
  	
  	'Save the changes to ArcPadPrefs.apx
  	pXML.Save strArcPadAPX
  	
  	'Free resources
  	Set pXML = Nothing
  	Set pPREFSElement = Nothing
  	Set pGPSElement = Nothing
  	Set pAVGElement = Nothing
  	
  	'Force ArcPad to reload the settings from ArcPadPrefs.apx
  	Dim blnSuccess
  	blnSuccess = Application.Properties("Load")
  End Sub