# Ini file iterator fails on big files

**URL:** https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/ini-file-iterator-fails-on-big-files/2921
**Category:** Bugs
**Created:** [November 8, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/ini-file-iterator-fails-on-big-files/2921 "2007-11-08T03:35:29Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2007, 3:35am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/ini-file-iterator-fails-on-big-files/2921/1 "2007-11-08T03:35:29Z")

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The "iterate over sections" ini file iterator only seems to see the first 1600 sections or so. It might sound dumb to want bigger files than that, but I find an .ini file is a very convenient data format for FB - much less effort than setting up a database. So I have some files of more than 5000 sections.

Steve

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### Author: ![angus](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@angus](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/angus)
#### Post date: [November 8, 2007, 3:34am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/ini-file-iterator-fails-on-big-files/2921/2 "2007-11-08T03:34:52Z")

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Hi Steve,   
  
 We’re using the Windows APIs to read INI Files, so you’ve found a restriction of the Windows INI file API.   
  
 IMHO, XML is by far the best solution for this kind of thing, it will let you have a more advanced structure with not much extra overhead.   
  
 Regards,   
  
 Angus

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### Author: ![stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/bc8723/32.png) [@stevage](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/stevage)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2007, 3:10am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/ini-file-iterator-fails-on-big-files/2921/3 "2007-11-09T03:10:07Z")

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Yeah, I suspected that might be the case. I’ll give XML a go next time it comes up - for the moment I’m actually using an SQL database.   
  
 Steve   
  
 PS How’s Barcelona? 🙂

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### Author: ![angus](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/a/b3f665/32.png) [@angus](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/u/angus)
#### Post date: [November 9, 2007, 9:40am UTC](https://www.finalbuilder.com/forums/t/ini-file-iterator-fails-on-big-files/2921/4 "2007-11-09T09:40:49Z")

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Great. I love this city. :).   
  
 TechEd is very interesting as well. (I scored the combined delegate/exhibitor pass, so I get to go to sessions as well as the exhibition hall.)   
  
 - Angus