Develop Reference

Hide Json file containing GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS when building executable file in Visualstudio [SOLVED]

currently I am developing a tool that interacts with a Firebase Firestore database. When I want to make the C# Forms Application an executable file I get the .exe but also the json file which contains the Google App Credentials. However, I want to forward the tool so that you can't see the json file or read the contents of the file, so you only need the .exe file. Is there a way to achieve this? For example, define the app credentials in a C# script so that it compiles to the .exe file? If so how?
My current implementation looks like this:
string path = AppDomain.CurrentDomain.BaseDirectory + #"cloudfire.json";
Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS", path);
The cloudfire.json file is directly contained in the namespace "LUX".
I also tried making the cloudfire.json file a resource, since i read this post but then the problem is, that i can't set the path of the .json, if i try it like that:
var assembly = Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly();
string resourceName = assembly.GetManifestResourceNames()
.Single(str => str.EndsWith("cloudfire.json"));
Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS", resourceName);
I get the error: System.InvalidOperationException: "Sequence contains no matching element"
Is there maybe a way to set the "GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS" to the embedded cloudfire.json ressource file?
EDIT:
I solved the problem by adding the "cloudfire.json" file to Resources.resx and changed the modifier to public. Like mentioned here.
Since you can only set the GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS by using this code:
Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS", "path to file");
I solved it by creating a temporary file:
byte[] resourceBytes = Properties.Resources.cloudfire;
// Write the resource to a temporary file
string tempPath = Path.GetTempFileName();
File.WriteAllBytes(tempPath, resourceBytes);
// Set the GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS environment variable
Environment.SetEnvironmentVariable("GOOGLE_APPLICATION_CREDENTIALS", tempPath);

Add you file as embedded resource with name. And try to read by following code:
var resources = new ResourceManager("<namespace>", Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly());
var obj = resources.GetObject(<embedded_resource_key>);
or
var str = resources.GetString(<embedded_resource_key>)

NLog ReconfigExistingLoggers creating new log?

I'm using Nlog and I need to change the name of the default log to include information such as a company name. I've used this code a long time ago on an a console app and it renamed the file as expected.
I'm now trying to use the same code in a new app and it's creating a new log file instead of just renaming the current one. For example, I now have two files (2019-10.07.log and 2019-10-07_CompanyName.log). The default log will have few initial log entries and then it the remainder of the logs go into the new one.
Looking for any suggestions. I've been searching for fixes but everything points me back to the code I'm already using.
NLog v4.6.7
fileNameOnly = "CompanyName";
FileTarget defaultTarget = FindNLogTargetByName("DefaultTarget");
defaultTarget.FileName = logDirectory + string.Format("{0:yyyy-MM-dd}", DateTime.Now) + "_" + fileNameOnly + ".log";
LogManager.ReconfigExistingLoggers();

NLog doesn't support renaming an existing file. If a new file name is used, all the logs will be appended to the new file.
So for the file name you need to use System.IO.File.Move(path, pathnew) and change NLog.
Unfortunately it's a bit tricky when doing high volume logging, as NLog will recreate the old log file until the target is changed.

NLog can load settings (like Company name) from app.config or appsettings.json.
Just update your NLog.config to reference the setting. Ex.
<target type="file" name="myfile" fileName="${appsetting:CompanyName}${shortdate}.log" />
See also: https://github.com/NLog/NLog/wiki/AppSetting-Layout-Renderer (Net Framework)
See also: https://github.com/NLog/NLog/wiki/ConfigSetting-Layout-Renderer (Net Core)

Reading from an app.config file

Given an app.config file, How can I read the keys and values given that those keys I am interested in will all follow a pattern I establish first. For example I do know that all the names of my keys will follow a pattern of
<add key="my_*_Def" value = "someValue">
The thing is I want to write a program that I can give these config files to it and then my program goes and finds that pattern in that file and gives them to me for further processing.
Is there a better way for writing this other than treating it as a text file and reading it line by line?

You can use
ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.AllKeys
to find all the keys in the app.config file. (link)
To try in another file, you'll want to get the configuration using ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration Method (String)
So;
var config = ConfigrationManager.OpenExeConfiguration("foo.exe.config");
var keys = config.AppSettings.AllKeys;

Accessing Resources at Runtime

I have an XML file included as part of my Silverlight 4.0 project that I'd like to access at runtime. I have the file saved in a directory named Resources with the Build Action set to "Content" and the Copy to Output Directory set to "Do not copy". If I decompress the XAP file, I see the XML file in the location I expect it to be, but I'm not sure how to reference it from code. I currently have the following:
Stream stream = System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetManifestResourceStream(#"/AssemblyName;component/Resources/MyFile.xml")
Unfortunately, stream is null after running the code above. In addition to the path mentioned above, I've tried "/Resources/MyFile.xml", "/MyFile.xml" and "MyFile.xml", but they all experience the same behavior.
What is the correct way to access an XML file embedded as a resource in a Silverlight application?

A resource with build action "Content" just gets embedded into the xap file, with the same relative directory structure as the application. It does not get embedded as a resource in the assembly.
When set to build action "Content", you should be able to just load the file using something like (or whatever suits your needs):
XElement.Load(<relative directory>/<file>)
The method you're using currently (using a resource stream) is for embedded resources (which have their build action set to "Resource"). And for those, although I haven't tried yet if your method works, usually you'll get the resources using
Application.GetResourceStream

I have used the code snip below to get access to drawables. Not sure it's completely relevant, but hoping this will give you a hint one way or another ...
Resources res = getResources();
spec = tabHost.newTabSpec("groups").setIndicator("Groups", res.getDrawable(R.drawable.ic_tab_groups)).setContent(intent);

As was mentioned by Willem van Rumpt, "content" resources are not usual resources (they aren't stored in assembly). I've checked out this article and could't found at all that you could reference resource, marked as "content" from other assembly.
So, you have two options:
Define XML as embedded resource
Define XML as resource
In first case stream request looks like:
var a = Assembly.Load("AssemblyName");
var s = a.GetManifestResourceStream(#"DefaultNamespace.Resources.XMLFile2.xml");
In second case:
var a = Assembly.Load("AssemblyName");
var rm = new ResourceManager("AssemblyName.g", a);
using (var set = rm.GetResourceSet(CultureInfo.CurrentCulture, true, true))
{
var ums = (UnmanagedMemoryStream)set.GetObject(#"Resources/XMLFile1.xml", true);
}
Hope this helps.

How to read user settings in app.config from a diff app?

I have a WinForms .exe with an App.config that has a bunch of User Scoped Settings that are set at runtime and saved.
I want to be able to use the WinForms app to change and save the settings and then click on button to do some work based on the those settings.
I also want to read the user settings in the same .config file from a sep. console app so I can schedule to work to be done as a scheduled task.
What is the best way to be able to do this?
Update:
I tried the reccommendation of using ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration as described in some of the answers like so.
Configuration config = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration("F:\\Dir\\App.exe");
but when I try to retrieve a User Setting like so.
string result = config.AppSettings.Settings["DB"].ToString();
I get a Null reference error.
From code in the exe however the following correctly returns the DB name.
Properties.Settings.Default.DB
Where am I going wrong?
Update 2:
So based on some of the answers below I now can use the following to retrieve the raw XML of the section of the user.config file I am interested in from sep. ConsoleApp.
System.Configuration.ExeConfigurationFileMap fileMap = new ExeConfigurationFileMap();
fileMap.ExeConfigFilename = #"D:\PathHere\user.config";
Configuration config = ConfigurationManager.OpenMappedExeConfiguration(fileMap,ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
System.Configuration.DefaultSection configSection = (System.Configuration.DefaultSection)config.GetSection("userSettings");
string result = configSection.SectionInformation.GetRawXml();
Console.WriteLine(result);
But I am still unable to just pull the value for the specific element I am interested in.

this should do it :
var clientSettingsSection = (System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection)(ConfigurationManager.GetSection("userSettings/YourApplicationName.Properties.Settings"));
var setting = clientSettingsSection.Settings.Get("yourParamName_DB_");
string yourParamName_DB = ((setting.Value.ValueXml).LastChild).InnerText.ToString();

You can use the ConfigurationManager class to open the configuration file of another executable.
Configuration conf = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(exeFilePath);
// edit configuration settings
conf.Save();

See ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration

If you are setting these values per user basis you may need to use the ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel) method instead of the current method you are using now.

ExeConfigurationFileMap fileMap = new ExeConfigurationFileMap();
fileMap.ExeConfigFilename = Environment.CurrentDirectory + "\\MyApp.exe.config";
//i have config in the same directory as my another app
System.Configuration.Configuration config = ConfigurationManager.OpenMappedExeConfiguration(fileMap, ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
var settingsSection = (System.Configuration.ClientSettingsSection)config.GetSection("userSettings/MyApp.Properties.Settings");
var setting = settingsSection.Settings.Get("MySetting");
var param = ((setting.Value.ValueXml).LastChild).InnerText.ToString();

If you know the path to the config file try:
System.Configuration.Configuration config = System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration("configPath");
string myValue = config.AppSettings.Settings[ "myValue" ].Value;