I'm sure this is pushing the limits of "Programming Help", but as I'm reading this thread, anyway...
Anyone know a way to export the list of things normally visible within the Device Manager (in XP, mainly, older/newer Windows versions optionally) to the console/a text file/similar? I'd also be happy to pick up all known items (including inactive ones, as per one particular view), but only if I get a chance to check to see if a given one is flagged as current, rather than legacy/remembered.
Alternatively, a more direct method to discover such items within Perl, although I have so far failed to find a module listed that does this. (Probably the failure of my Google Fu, of course.) A simple backquoted export-to-variable-and-let-me-process-accordingly would suit me down to the ground, however. Processing the registry would seem to be another method, but I'm not so used to disentangling the likes of the HKLM/HARDWARE area, mostly knowing the HKCR and HKLM/SOFTWARE areas, and only just thought about this as a solution[1], anyway, even as I was editing this post...
(Alternately, I suppose I could integrate something from a more powerful and system-aware ascript/language, directly or indirectly...)
[1] Which I know there's both direct Perl access methods for and a usefully easy-to-use regedit export option that would fulfil my initial criteria. It may be that I've just answered my own question, now I've put a little more thought into it, but please don't let that stop you giving any advice if you have any!