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How to get ApplicationSettings in a class library for winform?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<!-- For more information on Entity Framework configuration, visit http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=237468 -->
<sectionGroup name="applicationSettings" type="System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsGroup, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" >
<section name="MyApp.Properties.Settings" type="System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<applicationSettings>
<MyApp.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="ShortDateFormat" serializeAs="String">
<value>dd/MM/yyyy</value>
</setting>
<setting name="ShortDateFormatWithPeriod" serializeAs="String">
<value>dd.MM.yyyy</value>
</setting>
<setting name="TimeFormat24Hour" serializeAs="String">
<value>HH:mm</value>
</setting>
<setting name="TimeFormat24HourWithSecond" serializeAs="String">
<value>HH:mm:ss</value>
</setting>
<setting name="TimeSpanFormat" serializeAs="String">
<value>hh\:mm</value>
</setting>
<setting name="TimeSpanFormatWithSecond" serializeAs="String">
<value>hh\:mm\:ss</value>
</setting>
</MyApp.Properties.Settings>
</applicationSettings>
</configuration>
I have this app.config file. I would like to get value of ShortDateFormat from it in a class library. I understand ConfigurationManager is the way to do it. But after many failed attempts I have begun to wonder if it's even possible.
Here's what I have tried so far:
var conf = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("applicationSettings");
=> returns null
var conf = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("MyApp.Properties.Settings");
=> returns null
The following block of code gives me the section. But I don't see anything in the section that would give me the value of the property.
var config = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
var sectionGroup = config.GetSectionGroup("applicationSettings");
var section = sectionGroup.Sections["MyApp.Properties.Settings"];
So am I missing anything? Is there a way to get the value for "ShortDateFormat" and other properties?

you can get like AppSetting["PropertyName"].ToString();
else
you can create property file under Resources and set all the Property and create one Model with Property where you can use get;set; for each Property.

Unrecognized configuration section userSettings but Debug works fine

My app is working fine when debugging but when I'm trying to run it outside visual studio it just keeps crashing and all what I can find is this in event viewer:
Framework Version: v4.0.30319
Description: The process was terminated due to an unhandled exception.
Exception Info: System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationSchemaErrors.ThrowIfErrors(Boolean)
at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfParseErrors(System.Configuration.ConfigurationSchemaErrors)
at System.Configuration.BaseConfigurationRecord.ThrowIfInitErrors()
at System.Configuration.ClientConfigurationSystem.OnConfigRemoved(System.Object, System.Configuration.Internal.InternalConfigEventArgs)
Exception Info: System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.PrepareConfigSystem()
at System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection(System.String)
at System.Configuration.ClientSettingsStore.ReadSettings(System.String, Boolean)
at System.Configuration.LocalFileSettingsProvider.GetPropertyValues(System.Configuration.SettingsContext, System.Configuration.SettingsPropertyCollection)
at System.Configuration.SettingsBase.GetPropertiesFromProvider(System.Configuration.SettingsProvider)
at System.Configuration.SettingsBase.GetPropertyValueByName(System.String)
at System.Configuration.SettingsBase.get_Item(System.String)
at System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase.GetPropertyValue(System.String)
at System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase.get_Item(System.String)
at LeagueFPSBoost.Properties.Settings.get_UpgradeRequired()
at LeagueFPSBoost.Program.CreateConfigIfNotExists()
at LeagueFPSBoost.Program.Startup(System.String[])
at LeagueFPSBoost.Program.Main(System.String[])
It was working fine, i just dont know what happened to it. Here is more info:
static void CreateConfigIfNotExists()
{
var configFile = $"{Application.ExecutablePath}.config";
if (!File.Exists(configFile))
{
File.WriteAllText(configFile, Resources.App_Config);
}
var configDir = Path.Combine(leagueConfigDirPath, #"LeagueFPSBoost\");
if (!Directory.Exists(configDir))
{
Directory.CreateDirectory(configDir);
}
if (!File.Exists(Path.Combine(configDir, "App.config")))
{
File.WriteAllText(Path.Combine(configDir, "App.config"), Resources.App_Config);
}
AppConfig.Change(Path.Combine(configDir, "App.config"));
if (File.Exists(configFile))
{
File.Delete(configFile);
}
if (Settings.Default.UpgradeRequired) //Exception Thrown Here
{
Settings.Default.Upgrade();
Settings.Default.UpgradeRequired = false;
Settings.Default.Save();
}
}
And this is from Settings.Desinger.cs:
[global::System.Configuration.UserScopedSettingAttribute()]
[global::System.Diagnostics.DebuggerNonUserCodeAttribute()]
[global::System.Configuration.DefaultSettingValueAttribute("True")]
public bool UpgradeRequired {
get {
return ((bool)(this["UpgradeRequired"]));
}
set {
this["UpgradeRequired"] = value;
}
}
Here is App.config:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!-- User settings like theme and etc are stored in ...\AppData\Local\LeagueFPSBoost\... -->
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="userSettings" type="System.Configuration.UserSettingsGroup, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" >
<section name="LeagueFPSBoost.Properties.Settings" type="System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" allowExeDefinition="MachineToLocalUser" requirePermission="false" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.5" />
</startup>
<runtime>
<assemblyBinding xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:asm.v1">
<dependentAssembly>
<assemblyIdentity name="System" publicKeyToken="b77a5c561934e089" culture="neutral" />
<bindingRedirect oldVersion="0.0.0.0-4.0.0.0" newVersion="4.0.0.0" />
</dependentAssembly>
</assemblyBinding>
</runtime>
<userSettings>
<LeagueFPSBoost.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="ThemeStyle" serializeAs="String">
<value>Light</value>
</setting>
<setting name="ColorStyle" serializeAs="String">
<value>Blue</value>
</setting>
<setting name="Notifications" serializeAs="String">
<value>True</value>
</setting>
<setting name="Log" serializeAs="String">
<value>True</value>
</setting>
<setting name="UpgradeRequired" serializeAs="String">
<value>True</value>
</setting>
</LeagueFPSBoost.Properties.Settings>
</userSettings>
</configuration>
When application starts from Visual Studio in debug mode everything works fine every time. Problem is when I run application by clicking on exe it works first time (if user.config doesn't exist in roaming/local/appname.. folder). One I run application for second time by clicking on exe I just get the same error every time. But when I delete user.config file it starts again normally but it just wont start with user.config being there....
This is user.config:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<configuration>
<userSettings>
<LeagueFPSBoost.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="ThemeStyle" serializeAs="String">
<value>Dark</value>
</setting>
<setting name="ColorStyle" serializeAs="String">
<value>Red</value>
</setting>
<setting name="Notifications" serializeAs="String">
<value>True</value>
</setting>
<setting name="Log" serializeAs="String">
<value>True</value>
</setting>
<setting name="UpgradeRequired" serializeAs="String">
<value>False</value>
</setting>
</LeagueFPSBoost.Properties.Settings>
</userSettings>
</configuration>
Sometimes I'm also getting this exception:
System.Configuration.ConfigurationErrorsException: Unrecognized configuration section userSettings
(C:\Users\...\AppData\Local\LeagueFPSBoost\LeagueFPSBoost.exe_Url_10kxs4....xzo1\2.8.0.0\user.config line 3)
I tried incrementing 2.8.0.0 to 2.9.0.0 but I still got same problem.
It was working fine before, I don't know what happened to it.
Edit: I found out where exception is thrown by attacking debugger to process but still I don't know why?
Edit 2: I found out that adding:
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="userSettings" type="System.Configuration.UserSettingsGroup, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" >
<section name="LeagueFPSBoost.Properties.Settings" type="System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" allowExeDefinition="MachineToLocalUser" requirePermission="false" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
to the user.config fixes the problem but why is it missing in there in first place?

I've found answer here.
I have modified a code a bit so that its universal:
/// <summary>
/// Corrects the roaming settings file if needed because sometimes the node "configSections" is missing in the settings file.
/// Correct this by taking this node out of the default config file.
/// </summary>
private static void CorrectRoamingSettingsFileIfNeeded()
{
const string NODE_NAME_CONFIGURATION = "configuration";
const string NODE_NAME_CONFIGSECTIONS = "configSections";
const string NODE_NAME_USERSETTINGS = "userSettings";
//Exit if no romaing config (file) to correct...
var configRoaming = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.PerUserRoamingAndLocal);
if (configRoaming == null) return;
if (!configRoaming.HasFile) return;
//Check for the <sectionGroup> with name="userSettings"
//Note: Used ugly iteration because "configRoaming.GetSectionGroup(sectionGroupName)" throws ArgumentException.
ConfigurationSectionGroup sectionGroupUserSettings = null;
foreach (ConfigurationSectionGroup sectionGroup in configRoaming.SectionGroups)
{
if (sectionGroup.Name.Equals(NODE_NAME_USERSETTINGS))
{
sectionGroupUserSettings = sectionGroup;
break;
}
}
//Exit if the needed section group is found...
if (sectionGroupUserSettings != null && sectionGroupUserSettings.IsDeclared) return;
//Do correction actions...
var xDoc = XDocument.Load(configRoaming.FilePath);
var userSettingsNode = xDoc.Element(NODE_NAME_CONFIGURATION).Element(NODE_NAME_USERSETTINGS);
var ConfigFullFilename = Assembly.GetEntryAssembly().Location;
var configDefault = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigFullFilename);
var xDocDefault = XDocument.Load(configDefault.FilePath);
var configSectionsNode = xDocDefault.Element(NODE_NAME_CONFIGURATION).Element(NODE_NAME_CONFIGSECTIONS);
userSettingsNode.AddBeforeSelf(configSectionsNode);
xDoc.Save(configRoaming.FilePath);
}
That was confusing as hell....

While this is not directly related to the OP, this is the post users are sent to when searching for this error, so it is worth pointing out here as it is related.
This error occurs in .Net Core when adding an app.config using system.Configuration.ConfigurationManager 4.7.0:
ConfigurationErrorsException: Unrecognized configuration section add. (C:\Source\Repos\SFTP_Application\SFTP_Application\SFTP_Application_Console\bin\Debug\netcoreapp3.1\SFTP_Application_Console.dll.config line 3)
Unrecognized configuration section add means: it is missing a "section" and it thinks that <add> is a section.
In .Net Core's case, it is originally built to run off .json, but not everyone likes running their site off .json alone. So, you can add a .config file, but out of the box that file is missing an <appSettings> section. Put your keys in that, and your good to go.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<appSettings>
<add key="ApplicationId" value="0" />
<!--SqlConnections-->
<add key="sql_Con_String" value="mydsstring" />
</appSettings>
</configuration>

Read settings added manually to app.config after compile

I developed a Windows service. It uses a MyService.exe.config file for configuration, that looks like this (simplified with just one setting, Prop1):
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="applicationSettings" type="System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsGroup, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" >
<section name="MyNamespace.MyService.Properties.Settings" type="System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<applicationSettings>
<MyNamespace.MyService.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="Prop1" serializeAs="String">
<value>Foo</value>
</setting>
</MyNamespace.MyService.Properties.Settings>
</applicationSettings>
</configuration>
When I deploy to a customer production environment I need to add more settings manually on the config file, for instance Prop2:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="applicationSettings" type="System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsGroup, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" >
<section name="MyNamespace.MyService.Properties.Settings" type="System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<applicationSettings>
<MyNamespace.MyService.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="Prop1" serializeAs="String">
<value>Foo</value>
</setting>
<setting name="Prop2" serializeAs="String">
<value>Bar</value>
</setting>
</MyNamespace.MyService.Properties.Settings>
</applicationSettings>
</configuration>
Now if I start the service this lines of code:
log.Debug(Properties.Settings.Default["Prop1"].ToString());
log.Debug(Properties.Settings.Default["Prop2"].ToString());
produce following output:
Foo
Impossibile trovare la proprietà di impostazione 'Prop2'.
in System.Configuration.SettingsBase.GetPropertyValueByName(String propertyName)
in System.Configuration.SettingsBase.get_Item(String propertyName)
in System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase.GetPropertyValue(String propertyName)
in System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsBase.get_Item(String propertyName)
in ...
The error in Italian means "Cannot find settings property 'Prop2'".
How can I read settings added to app.config after compile time?
I'm wondering whether it is not possible to add new settings to app.config when the application is already deployed, because every setting must be compiled and made available statically in Properties.Settings.Default. So to achieve what I want should I use a settings file managed by me, like re-inventing the wheel?

Well, I had posted an idea I thought would work but went back and tested myself and it didn't. D***.
So here's a suggestion I do use when the regular Settings stuff doesn't work.
Create an XML file structured as DataSet (the easiest way to do this is write a short program that creates a DatSet, populates it, and saves it as XML.
DataSet mydataset = new DataSet("myDataSet");
DataTable mydatatable = new DataTable("myDataTable");
mydatatable.Columns.Add(new DataColumn("myColumn1"));
DataRow newrow = mydatatable.NewRow();
newrow["myColumn1"] = "somedata";
mydatatable.Rows.Add(newrow);
mydataset.Tables.Add(mydatatable);
mydataset.WriteXML(#"C:\mydataset.xml", XmlWriteMode.WriteSchema);
This creates your basic XML file.
Very Important!!!!! To serialize a DataSet and/or DataTable you MUST give them names when you create them:
new DataSet("mydataset")
Then, as long as you don't violate the integrity of the XML structure, you can add rows (and even columns) to you XML file any time you wish using your favorite text editor.
In your application you simply read the XML file back into a DataSet and iterate through your DataTable rows (and through each DataTable if you created more than one) and process accordingly.
DataSet myDataSet = new DataSet("mydataset");
myDataSet.ReadXml(#"C:\mydataset.xml")
foreach (DataTable t in myDataSet.Tables)
{
foreach (DataRow r in t.Rows)
{
//process here
}
}
Very Important!!!!! To process the data you MUST use the names for the DataSet and DataTable from the XML file.
Hope this helps. It has worked for me many times when I couldn't use or couldn't access the built-in settings handler. It does add a little bit more time to your coding but....
John

can't read variables out of app.config

what I have in app.config is this
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="applicationSettings" type="System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsGroup, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" >
<section name="Porject.Properties.Settings" type="System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" requirePermission="false" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<startup><supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.0"/></startup>
<applicationSettings>
<Porject.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="PhotoLocation" serializeAs="String">
<value>.\photos\</value>
</setting>
</Porject.Properties.Settings>
</applicationSettings>
<connectionStrings>
<add name="****" connectionString="Data Source=***;Initial Catalog=****;User ID=***;Password=***" />
</connectionStrings>
</configuration>
and this is how I call the PhotoLocation:
string s = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["PhotoLocation"];
When I make a request to get the connectionstring, there is no problem and it works fine; but when I requst the PhotoLocation it returns null.
Also the ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Count returns 0.
Does anyone have an idea on what I'm doing wrong?

simply add this in your App config file
<appSettings>
<add key="PhotoLocation" value=".\photos\"/>
<appSettings>

ConfigurationManager.AppSettings reads (as the name might suggest) the AppSettings block of your configuration.
Given you've created your own section, you want to use var section = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("Porject.Properties.Settings") and read the values from that section.

reading content of an config file into the dll associated with it

I have saved strings in a dll application's setting. I want to retireve them.
Here is the configuration file for my dll:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="applicationSettings" type="System.Configuration.ApplicationSettingsGroup, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" >
<section name="Search.Properties.Settings" type="System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=xxxxxxxxxxxx" requirePermission="false" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<applicationSettings>
<PishiSearch.Properties.Settings>
<setting name="ReadIndex" serializeAs="String">
<value>C:\Index</value>
</setting>
<setting name="WriteIndex" serializeAs="String">
<value>C:\WriteIndex</value>
</setting>
</PishiSearch.Properties.Settings>
</applicationSettings>
</configuration>
It resides in the same directory as my dll. It is called: Search.dll.config
My dll is called: Search.dll
I want to read the values of ReadIndex and WriteIndex from this config file into my dll.
Here is the code:
var executingAssembly = System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
var location = executingAssembly.Location; //C:\MyApp\bin\Debug\Search.dll
var config = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(location);
var sections = config.Sections; //count of this is 21
ConfigurationSectionGroup csg = config.GetSectionGroup("applicationSettings");
ConfigurationSectionCollection csc = csg.Sections;
ConfigurationSection cs = csc.Get("Search.Properties.Settings");
The code works up to getting the last line here. But how do I get the settings strings?
Yes I can use cs.SectionInformation.GetRawXml(); to get the xml and then interrogate it to get the values, but that is a kluge.
How do I read the values? Preferably into a Settings object? Many thanks!

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<applicationSettings>
</applicationSettings>
<appSettings>
<add key="ReadIndex" value="C:\Index"/>
</appSettings>
</configuration>
var executingAssembly = System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
var location = executingAssembly.Location; //C:\MyApp\bin\Debug\Search.dll
var config = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(location);
var sections = config.Sections; //count of this is 21
string s = config.AppSettings.Settings["ReadIndex"].Value.ToString();

you must add tag "appSettings" into tag "configuration" in your file "app.config" in visual studio
like the bellow:
<configuration>
<appSettings>
<add key="ReadIndex" value="aaa"/>
<add key="WriteIndex" value="111"/>
</appSettings>
</configuration>
and then use this bellow code in c#
var appConfig = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location);
string userName = appConfig.AppSettings.Settings["ReadIndex"].Value;
string password = appConfig.AppSettings.Settings["WriteIndex"].Value;
if you want to update your configuration you can open the "Search.dll.config" file and then update it.
please refer to the bellow answer:
Reading dll.config (not app.config!) from a plugin module