app.config file

  • Thread starter Thread starter Andrew
  • Start date Start date
A

Andrew

Hi,
I have a question about the app.config file. I am using EnterpriseLibrary
v3.1.

1) From what I read on this forum, I can only have 1 app.config file in my
windows application. One of my dll projects have applicationSettings :
<applicationSettings>
<ABCdll.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="ABCConnectionString" serializeAs="String">
<value>ABCConnectionString</value>
</setting>
</ABCdll.Properties.Settings>
</applicationSettings>
When I deploy the application, will it automatically copy this
<applicationSettings> from my dll project app.config to the mainproject's
app.config ? If not, how shall I approach this issue ?

Thanks for your reply.

regards,
Andrew
 
Hi Andrew,

I believe you need to manually add a section with these keys to your main
app.config file if you want them visible. You don't have to though, as the
dll will be compiled with the initial settings, but they won't be visible
unless you do.
 
Thanks for your reply.
But in that case, then I cannot in the future make any changes to the
applicationSettings values.

Q: I know that my dll project can access the appSettings in the main
app.config file thru the code:
using System.Configuration;
string str = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["abc"].ToString();

What is the code for doing this using ApplicationSettings instead of
AppSettings ? The configurationManager does not have the
"ApplicationSettings" property.
eg.
string str = (string)Properties.Settings.Default["aaa"];
I can use tis to access the <applicationSettings> in it's own app.config file.

Thanks.

regards,
Andrew

Morten Wennevik said:
Hi Andrew,

I believe you need to manually add a section with these keys to your main
app.config file if you want them visible. You don't have to though, as the
dll will be compiled with the initial settings, but they won't be visible
unless you do.

--
Happy Coding!
Morten Wennevik [C# MVP]


Andrew said:
Hi,
I have a question about the app.config file. I am using EnterpriseLibrary
v3.1.

1) From what I read on this forum, I can only have 1 app.config file in my
windows application. One of my dll projects have applicationSettings :
<applicationSettings>
<ABCdll.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="ABCConnectionString" serializeAs="String">
<value>ABCConnectionString</value>
</setting>
</ABCdll.Properties.Settings>
</applicationSettings>
When I deploy the application, will it automatically copy this
<applicationSettings> from my dll project app.config to the mainproject's
app.config ? If not, how shall I approach this issue ?

Thanks for your reply.

regards,
Andrew
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Andrew said:
Thanks for your reply.
But in that case, then I cannot in the future make any changes to the
applicationSettings values.
Click to expand...

You can. Just add the necessary lines in app.config when you need to. You
don't have to do it before the app is deployed either. Any changes in the
library regarding these keys need to be changed in the main app.config file
if necessary.
Q: I know that my dll project can access the appSettings in the main
app.config file thru the code:
using System.Configuration;
string str = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["abc"].ToString();

What is the code for doing this using ApplicationSettings instead of
AppSettings ? The configurationManager does not have the
"ApplicationSettings" property.
eg.
string str = (string)Properties.Settings.Default["aaa"];
I can use tis to access the <applicationSettings> in it's own app.config file.

Thanks.

regards,
Andrew
Click to expand...

Use a Settings file in your library if you haven't already. Then simply
access the key using

string str = Settings.Default.aaa

which is type safe as well, so you could do Color myColor =
Settings.Default.SomeColor

Changes in the library Settings file will update the library app.config
file. If you specify application scope for the settings key you will get an
applicationSettings section in your app.config (user scope will create a
userSettings section)

The Settings file is basically a wrapper around app.config which makes it
much easier to code against a config file.
 
Thanks for your reply.

I understand the 1st part of your answer.

Let me clarify the 2nd part of my question. After I install my application
and deploy it, only one projectname.exe.config will be produced (which
belongs to my windows service).
In my code in one of my dll projects, how do I access the
applicationSettings in that config file ?

Do I use the System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager ... ??

Thanks

regards,
Andrew

Morten Wennevik said:
Andrew said:
Thanks for your reply.
But in that case, then I cannot in the future make any changes to the
applicationSettings values.
Click to expand...

You can. Just add the necessary lines in app.config when you need to. You
don't have to do it before the app is deployed either. Any changes in the
library regarding these keys need to be changed in the main app.config file
if necessary.
Q: I know that my dll project can access the appSettings in the main
app.config file thru the code:
using System.Configuration;
string str = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["abc"].ToString();

What is the code for doing this using ApplicationSettings instead of
AppSettings ? The configurationManager does not have the
"ApplicationSettings" property.
eg.
string str = (string)Properties.Settings.Default["aaa"];
I can use tis to access the <applicationSettings> in it's own app.config file.

Thanks.

regards,
Andrew
Click to expand...

Use a Settings file in your library if you haven't already. Then simply
access the key using

string str = Settings.Default.aaa

which is type safe as well, so you could do Color myColor =
Settings.Default.SomeColor

Changes in the library Settings file will update the library app.config
file. If you specify application scope for the settings key you will get an
applicationSettings section in your app.config (user scope will create a
userSettings section)

The Settings file is basically a wrapper around app.config which makes it
much easier to code against a config file.
Click to expand...
 
Andrew said:
Thanks for your reply.

I understand the 1st part of your answer.

Let me clarify the 2nd part of my question. After I install my application
and deploy it, only one projectname.exe.config will be produced (which
belongs to my windows service).
In my code in one of my dll projects, how do I access the
applicationSettings in that config file ?

Do I use the System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager ... ??

Thanks

regards,
Andrew
Click to expand...

Same way you would access the settings in your dll.config

string str = Settings.Default.MyKey

If a match is found in the deployed .exe.config for that key that value is
used instead of the default compiled value in the dll. If no match is found,
the default compiled value is used.

If you insist on using appSettings read the value using
OpenExeConfiguration/OpenMappedExeConfiguration

Configuration config =
ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
AppSettingsSection section = config.AppSettings;
string str = section.Settings["MyKey"].Value;
 
Thanks, I will try this out.

Morten Wennevik said:
Andrew said:
Thanks for your reply.

I understand the 1st part of your answer.

Let me clarify the 2nd part of my question. After I install my application
and deploy it, only one projectname.exe.config will be produced (which
belongs to my windows service).
In my code in one of my dll projects, how do I access the
applicationSettings in that config file ?

Do I use the System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager ... ??

Thanks

regards,
Andrew
Click to expand...

Same way you would access the settings in your dll.config

string str = Settings.Default.MyKey

If a match is found in the deployed .exe.config for that key that value is
used instead of the default compiled value in the dll. If no match is found,
the default compiled value is used.

If you insist on using appSettings read the value using
OpenExeConfiguration/OpenMappedExeConfiguration

Configuration config =
ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
AppSettingsSection section = config.AppSettings;
string str = section.Settings["MyKey"].Value;
Click to expand...
 
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