Invalid Parameter error when setting a registry multiStringValue using vbscript - vbscript

Question

This is in reference to an existing question I previously asked but same conditions are not working when doing another sub. All variables below are defined correct and as strings. I am getting error when setting values on this line:
objReg.setMultiStringValue HKCU,IE_Main,mStrSecStartPages,allURLs
The code is below;
return = objReg.getMultiStringValue (HKCU,IE_Main,mStrSecStartPages,multiStringValues)
'If values found in Secondary Start Pages
If return=0 Then
ReDim allURLs(0)
'Read all values and only store non intranet values to array
For Each itemname In multiStringValues
If itemname <> strFunctionIntranet1 And itemname <> strFunctionIntranet2 And itemname <> strFunctionIntranet3 And itemname <> strFunctionIntranet4 Then
ReDim Preserve allURLs(UBound(allURLs)+1)
allURLs(UBound(allURLs)) = itemname
End If
Next
'Remove current key holding existing values
objReg.DeleteValue HKCU,IE_Main,mStrSecStartPages
'Set new values based on values read and user's intranet
if UBound(allURLs)>=0 Then
wscript.echo "in setting"
objReg.setMultiStringValue HKCU,IE_Main,mStrSecStartPages,allURLs
End If
wscript.echo "out setting"
End If

Answer 1

Problem is even if there isn't any values in the REG_MULTI_SZ value you will still get an empty Array returned, which means when you then loop through the array and dynamically expand it using
ReDim Preserve allURLs(UBound(allURLs)+1)
You will always have a blank element in the first position in the array which when passed to
objReg.setMultiStringValue HKCU,IE_Main,mStrSecStartPages,allURLs
if it isn't the only element you will get
SWbemObjectEx: Invalid parameter
Here is some testing I did to prove this
Option Explicit
Const HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = &H80000002
Dim oReg
Dim strKeyPath, strValueName, arrStringValues
Dim strComputer: strComputer = "."
Set oReg=GetObject("winmgmts:{impersonationLevel=impersonate}!\\" & _
strComputer & "\root\default:StdRegProv")
strKeyPath = "SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main"
strValueName = "Default_Secondary_Page_URL"
Dim rtn
rtn = oReg.GetMultiStringValue(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, strKeyPath, strValueName, arrStringValues)
Dim i
If rtn = 0 Then
If IsArray(arrStringValues) Then
For i = 0 To UBound(arrStringValues)
WScript.Echo "arrStringValues(" & i & ") = " & arrStringValues(i)
Next
Else
WScript.Echo "Not Array"
End If
Else
WScript.Echo "Failed to GetMultiStringValue - Return (" & rtn & ")"
End If
rtn = oReg.SetMultiStringValue(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,strKeyPath,strValueName,arrStringValues)
WScript.Echo "SetMultiStringValue - Return (" & rtn & ")"
Output:
arrStringValues(0) =
SetMultiStringValue - Return (0)
Adding the following line to create two blank elements under the IsArray() check
ReDim Preserve arrStringValues(UBound(arrStringValues) + 1)
Output:
arrStringValues(0) =
arrStringValues(1) =
test36.vbs(31, 1) SWbemObjectEx: Invalid parameter
So SetMultiSringValue() will accept an Array that contains an empty element if it is the only element in the array, the minute you try to add more you will get the error as described above.
In relation to the original code
To stop creating the extra blank element at the beginning you could switch to using a For instead of a For Each that way you can tell the loop to only call
ReDim Preserve allURLs(UBound(allURLs)+1)
when the index of the Array is greater then 0
For i = 0 To UBound(multiStringValues)
itemname = multiStringValues(i)
If itemname <> strFunctionIntranet1 And itemname <> strFunctionIntranet2 And itemname <> strFunctionIntranet3 And itemname <> strFunctionIntranet4 Then
'Only expand if we have more then 1 value in multiStringValues
If i > 0 Then ReDim Preserve allURLs(UBound(allURLs)+1)
allURLs(UBound(allURLs)) = itemname
End If
Next
You can do this with a For Each of course but you would have to track the Array index manually using another variable, which in my opinion when you have For already seems pointless.