Application Configuration Files

				In de .NET Framework are no build-in statements

to access INI files. To do this, you must access the

file directly or use the Win32 API's.



In DotNet we now have Configuration Files.

This are XML files that can be changed as needed

without recompiling the application.



There are four different kind of configuration files:

- Machine Configuration Files

- Application Configuration Files

- Security Configuration Files

- ASP.NET Configuration Files



The Application Configuration File is to compare

with an INI file. With one big difference that

you only can Read settings, but not Write settings!

Writing has to be done manualy.





To use a configuration file you must add an

'Application Configuration File' to your project.



In the Visual Studio Environment this can be done by

right clicking the project, choose 'add new item'.

Then look for the item 'Application Configuration File'.

This will add an 'App.Config' file to your project.



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<configuration>

</configuration>



To add your own settings, you must add a section

called 'appSettings'.



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<configuration>

<appSettings>

</appSettings>

</configuration>



Here you can store your settings as key/value pairs.



<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>

<configuration>

<appSettings>

<add key="Test1" value="This is the value of Test1" />

<add key="Test2" value="This is the value of Test2" />

</appSettings>

</configuration>



!!! BEWARE.......THE TEXT IS CASE SENSITIVE !!!



'appSettings' is not the same as 'appsettings'

Notice the captial S.

A runtime error will occure if you make a typing error.





An VB.NET example to read from the Configuration file.



Imports System

Imports System.Console



Module Module1



Sub Main()

Try

Dim config As Configuration.ConfigurationSettings



' Read the key:Test2

WriteLine(config.AppSettings("Test2"))



' To read all key's

Dim key As String



For Each key In config.AppSettings.AllKeys

WriteLine(key & " -- " & config.AppSettings(key))

Next



WriteLine("")



Catch ex As Exception

WriteLine("")

WriteLine(ex.ToString)



Finally

Read()



End Try

End Sub



End Module





After compiling the assembly, you also will get

an config file in your bin directory.



For example: an project called MyTest, results in

MyTest.exe

MyTest.exe.config



The two files must be placed in the

same directory to work.