Why does my app not load user scope my.settings when in starts by registry run key

[Jeff Agee]

Why does my app not load the saved user scope my.settings when it starts by way of the registry run key? This key starts programs after the user login, per microsoft. So why does it not load the saved user settings? The program does start up, but all the areas on the form where saved user scope settings should be, are the default values (mostly empty strings). (The user scope settings are there if I start my program by the desktop shortcut.)

I've looked, searched, posted to other forums, but can't seem to find an answer.

I'm pretty much a novice programmer, and any help would be much appreciated. Thanks a lot.

[MrMancunian]

Is the link that is in your Registry\Run key the same as the link you use when you click the desktop shortcut? Which registry is it in? If there are user settings, I'd imagine you put it in the HKCU (CurrentUser) instead of the HKLM (Local Machine).

Steven

[Jeff Agee]

Mr. Mancunian, thanks for the reply.

The Registry link is in HKCU and is: C:\Users\Jeff\AppData\Local\Apps\2.0\D5ZPYN2E.G6B\ 0YHBPWKG.YJD\ab2l..tion_0000000000000000_0001.0000 _bd808c8132a0d2ac\AB2L6WS.exe -hide; while the Desktop shortcut shows no such link (it's a ClickOnce deployment). The shortcut properties are:
Name: AB2L 6-Way Sync.appref-ms
Type: ClickOnce Application Reference
Folder Path: C:\Users\Jeff\Desktop

More info: The settings work fine if I start program by using the startmenu link, Desktop link, or command line in command prompt. Also if I use the Release version .exe (before deployment) with the run key there is no problem. But using the debug .exe or the downloaded version with the run key there is a problem.

In case you want to know, my code to create the reg key is:

 Try
            Dim regKey As RegistryKey
            regKey = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey("SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run", True)
            Dim myPath As String = Application.ExecutablePath & " -hide"
            regKey.SetValue(Process.GetCurrentProcess.ProcessName, myPath)
        Catch
        End Try

I've already checked to see if it had anything to do with the " -hide" (which hides the form by defining " -hide" in the form load event) by taking it out, but I get the same result.

I'm wondering if it has something to do with ClickOnce, but I don't know.

Curious to see what you might think. Thanks again.