Using ConnectionStrings and custom ConfigSections in the same App.Config - c#

I have a custom configSection that works as expected. However, when I add a 'connectionStrings' section, I receive error:
Configuration system failed to initialize
on line:
StencilObjects so = ConfigurationManager.GetSection( "stencilObjects" ) as StencilObjects;
Here is the config:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<connectionStrings>
<add name="connection" connectionString="foo"/>
</connectionStrings>
<configSections>
<section name="stencilObjects" type="Stencil.Configuration.StencilObjects, Stencil.Configuration"/>
</configSections>
<stencilObjects>
<tableData>
<table schema="Auth" name="SecurityQuestion" />
</tableData>
</stencilObjects>
</configuration>
Is there any limitation when using a custom config section? Does this not allow the use of connectionstrings?
Again, when I remove the connectionStrings, the app runs as expected.
Any idea on what is going on?

I haven't found a link to back this up yet with an explicit statement, but I've always used configSections at the top of the file without any problems. Try like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="stencilObjects" type="Stencil.Configuration.StencilObjects, Stencil.Configuration"/>
</configSections>
<connectionStrings>
<add name="connection" connectionString="foo"/>
</connectionStrings>
<stencilObjects>
<tableData>
<table schema="Auth" name="SecurityQuestion" />
</tableData>
</stencilObjects>
</configuration>
configSections definitely doesn't need to be just before the section(s) it describes. connectionStrings can be in between.

Related

Custom section in App.Config, ConfigurationManager stops working

I have created a console app in c# that reads information from App.config. if i add things in appSettings section, i can acces them and it works, but as soon as i add some custom sections i cant read anything from it. I am using ConfigurationManager, and i have the reference for it included.
My app config looks like this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.6.1" />
</startup>
<appSettings>
<add key="overwriteBackupFiles" value="False"/>
<add key="path" value="c:\temp"/>
</appSettings>
<ImageFormatsINeed>
<add key="type1" value="width=180&height=180"></add>
<add key="type2" value="width=220&height=220"></add>
<add key="type3" value="width=500&height=500"></add>
</ImageFormatsINeed>
</configuration>
and i am trying to acces those information like this:
string path = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["path"];
var settings = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("ImageFormatsINeed");
When i didnt have the ImageFormatsINeed section i could get the path from AppSettings and it was working. But as soon as i added my ImageFormatsINeed section, everything stops working.
Now my question is how can i add custom sections in app.config that it will work, or should i just read my ImageInformation from some custom xml file or config file?
You have to use the tag <configSections> at the top in your app.config, for this case you should use the type AppSettingsSection
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="ImageFormatsINeed" type="System.Configuration.AppSettingsSection" />
</configSections>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0" sku=".NETFramework,Version=v4.6.1" />
</startup>
<appSettings>
<add key="overwriteBackupFiles" value="False"/>
<add key="path" value="c:\temp"/>
</appSettings>
<ImageFormatsINeed>
<add key="type1" value="width=180&height=180"></add>
<add key="type2" value="width=220&height=220"></add>
<add key="type3" value="width=500&height=500"></add>
</ImageFormatsINeed>
</configuration>
Then in your C# code:
NameValueCollection settings_section = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("ImageFormatsINeed") as NameValueCollection;
Console.WriteLine(settings_section["type1"]);

How to use custom configuration file or app.config in .NET application

I have MVC5 .NET 4.6.1 C# web application
I want to create a custom config file separate from web.config to store some settings my application uses.
I tried to follow this article https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/815786
however the items I set in app.config:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
<system.web>
<compilation debug="true" targetFramework="4.6.1" />
<httpRuntime targetFramework="4.6.1" />
</system.web>
<appSettings>
<add key="Key0" value="0" />
<add key="Key1" value="1" />
<add key="Key2" value="2" />
</appSettings>
</configuration>
are not seen in my application see , eg. they come as null:
string attr = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["Key0"];
Why isn't it working? Am I missing something?
Alternatively I would like to create a custom config file eg. mycustom.config to define my global app settings.
EDIT
Solution I used
Follwing this post https://social.msdn.microsoft.com/Forums/vstudio/en-US/11e6d326-c32c-46b1-a9a2-1fbef96f33ee/howto-custom-configuration-files?forum=netfxbcl
In web.config:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="newAppSettings" type="System.Configuration.AppSettingsSection, System.Configuration, Version=2.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
</configSections>
<newAppSettings file="C:\mycustom.config"/>
</configuration>
Then mycustom.config
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<newAppSettings>
<add key="OurKey" value="OurValue"/>
</newAppSettings>
And reading the value:
System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection newAppSettings = (System.Collections.Specialized.NameValueCollection)System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.GetSection("newAppSettings");
string key = Convert.ToDateTime(newAppSettings["OurKey"]);
You can use separate config file for connection strings and app settings:
<appSettings configSource="appSettings.config" />
<connectionStrings configSource="connectionStrings.config"/>
appSettings.config file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<appSettings>
<add key="Setting1" value="App setting 1" />
</appSettings>
connectionStrings.config file
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<connectionStrings>
<add name="MyConnStr1" connectionString="My connection string" />
</connectionStrings>
Usage is same as it was before:
var setting1 = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["Setting1"];
var connString1 = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["MyConnStr1"].ConnectionString;
//Helps to open the Root level web.config file.
Configuration webConfigApp = WebConfigurationManager.OpenWebConfiguration("~");
//Modifying the AppKey from AppValue to AppValue1
webConfigApp.AppSettings.Settings["AppKey"].Value = "AppValue1";
<appSettings>
<add key="AppKey" value="AppValue"/>
</appSettings>

Error : The key 'SecurityKey' does not exist in the appSettings configuration section

When I execute my app (Winform)from the computer where it was developed there is no error, but When I execute this in another computer I get the error. My App.config is like this:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
<appSettings>
<add key="SecurityKey"/>
</appSettings>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0"sku="...."/>
</startup>
</configuration>
and this is the line that I use:
string key = (string)settingsReader.GetValue("SecurityKey", typeof(String));
I already tried to follow this The key 'UserID' does not exist in the appSettings configuration section, but it is still the same.
Any suggestions?
the appSettings in the .config file is different from .settings file.
Take a look at ConfigurationManager.AppSettings Property.
I'd also mention that I have no idea how either the settingsReader nor the ConfigurationManager work with a key with no value:
<add key="SecurityKey"/> <!-- no value? -->
<add key="SecurityKeyWithValue" value="myvalue"/>
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<appSettings>
<add key="SecurityKey" value="Syed Moshiur Murshed"/>
</appSettings>
</configuration>

Storing settings in configFile

Try to save all data in to config file, and then read it and apply to my program during running - as user preference.
Whats done: create new config file (using Add new element-> add congif file). In this file put simple code
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<appSetting>
<add Key="Volume" value="100" />
</appSetting>
</configuration>
After it create method
public int GetVolumeFromConfigFile()
{
return Convert.ToInt32(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Get("Volume"));
}
and in main programm call it like
Value = (MyClass.GetVolumeFromConfigFile());
But it's not work. (During debaggin it's return nothing)
Think it can be few reason:
I need to add (I don't now in what way) what config file to use, because i have few files *.config - one as default (App.exe.config, and another - that i created)
I use incorrect method to get value from config file
Also I read about some another way to store app settings, like store it in *.settings file
What I'm doing wrong and what method prefered?
Additional information - use net 4.0
EDIT
Remove my config file, and add to existed few lines (in strong>)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="userSettings" type="System.Configuration.UserSettingsGroup, System, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089" >
<section name="PlayDemo.SettingsPlayIt" 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>
<userSettings>
<PlayDemo.SettingsPlayIt>
<setting name="Volume" serializeAs="String">
<value>10</value>
</setting>
</PlayDemo.SettingsPlayIt>
</userSettings>
Here I add my key
<appSetting>
<add key="Volume" value="100" />
</appSetting>
</configuration>
try this:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
<appSettings>
<add key="Volume" value="100" />
</appSettings>
</configuration>
and
return Convert.ToInt32(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["Volume"]);
the appSettings are key value pairs, so you can access it like you would a value in a Dictionary
If you want to use a separate config file, try this:
Dim config As System.Configuration.Configuration = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.None)
config.AppSettings.File = "yourFileName"'tell Configuration what file to read
config.Save(ConfigurationSaveMode.Modified) ' save the Configuration setting
ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection("appSettings") ' update just the <appSettings> node
I really like the following technique, using ConfigurationSection. This allows you for painless manipulation of your configuration. But it is more specific upfront.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/2tw134k3%28v=vs.90%29.aspx

Mindscape.LightSpeed Database connectivity problem

I'm using Mindspace.Lightspeed in my C# desktop application for the first time but I'm getting errors and unable to connect to database.
My App.config contains the following code:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?><configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="lightSpeedContext" type="Mindscape.LightSpeed.Configuration.LightSpeedConfigurationSection,Mindscape.LightSpeed" /></configSections><connectionStrings>
<add name="DefectsConStr" connectionString="Data Source=.\sqlexpress2k5;Initial Catalog=Defects;Persist Security Info=True;User ID=sa;Password=123"
providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" /></connectionStrings> <lightSpeedContext>
<add name="Development" connectionStringName="DefectsConStr" dataProvider="SqlServer2005"/> </lightSpeedContext> </configuration>
I have managed to reproduce your problem, you need to change your configuration file so that the section name is
lightSpeedContexts and not lightSpeedContext
see my configuration file
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<section name="lightSpeedContexts" type="Mindscape.LightSpeed.Configuration.LightSpeedConfigurationSection,Mindscape.LightSpeed"/>
</configSections>
<connectionStrings>
<add name="Blog" connectionString="Data Source=Blog.dat"/>
</connectionStrings>
<lightSpeedContexts>
<add name="Blog" connectionStringName="Blog" dataProvider="SQLite3" identityMethod="KeyTable" pluralizeTableNames="false"/>
</lightSpeedContexts>
</configuration>

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