Using System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager Example (C#)
Article
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Linq;
using System.Text;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Collections;
using System.Collections.Specialized;
using System.Diagnostics;
// The following example shows how to use the ConfigurationManager
// class in a console application.
//
// IMPORTANT: To compile this example, you must add to the project
// a reference to the System.Configuration assembly.
//
namespace Samples.Aspnet
{
#region Auxiliary Classes
// Define a custom configuration element to be
// contained by the ConsoleSection. This element
// stores background and foreground colors that
// the application applies to the console window.
public class ConsoleConfigElement : ConfigurationElement
{
// Create the element.
public ConsoleConfigElement()
{ }
// Create the element.
public ConsoleConfigElement(ConsoleColor fColor,
ConsoleColor bColor)
{
ForegroundColor = fColor;
BackgroundColor = bColor;
}
// Get or set the console background color.
[ConfigurationProperty("background",
DefaultValue = ConsoleColor.Black,
IsRequired = false)]
public ConsoleColor BackgroundColor
{
get
{
return (ConsoleColor)this["background"];
}
set
{
this["background"] = value;
}
}
// Get or set the console foreground color.
[ConfigurationProperty("foreground",
DefaultValue = ConsoleColor.White,
IsRequired = false)]
public ConsoleColor ForegroundColor
{
get
{
return (ConsoleColor)this["foreground"];
}
set
{
this["foreground"] = value;
}
}
}
// Define a custom section that is used by the application
// to create custom configuration sections at the specified
// level in the configuration hierarchy.
// This enables the the user that has the proper access
// rights, to make changes to the configuration files.
public class ConsoleSection : ConfigurationSection
{
// Create a configuration section.
public ConsoleSection()
{ }
// Set or get the ConsoleElement.
[ConfigurationProperty("consoleElement")]
public ConsoleConfigElement ConsoleElement
{
get
{
return (
(ConsoleConfigElement) this["consoleElement"]);
}
set
{
this["consoleElement"] = value;
}
}
}
#endregion
#region ConfigurationManager Interaction Class
// The following code uses the ConfigurationManager class to
// perform the following tasks:
// 1) Get the application roaming configuration file.
// 2) Get the application configuration file.
// 3) Access a specified configuration file through mapping.
// 4) Access the machine configuration file through mapping.
// 5) Read a specified configuration section.
// 6) Read the connectionStrings section.
// 7) Read or write the appSettings section.
public static class UsingConfigurationManager
{
// Get the roaming configuration file associated
// with the application.
// Note.This function uses the OpenExeConfiguration(
// ConfigurationUserLevel userLevel) method to
// get the configuration file.
public static void GetRoamingConfiguration()
{
// Define the custom section to add to the
// configuration file.
string sectionName = "consoleSection";
ConsoleSection cSection = null;
// Get the roaming configuration
// that applies to the current user.
Configuration roamingConfig =
ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(
ConfigurationUserLevel.PerUserRoaming);
// Map the roaming configuration file. This
// enables the application to access
// the configuration file using the
// System.Configuration.Configuration class
ExeConfigurationFileMap configFileMap =
new ExeConfigurationFileMap();
configFileMap.ExeConfigFilename =
roamingConfig.FilePath;
// Get the mapped configuration file.
Configuration config =
ConfigurationManager.OpenMappedExeConfiguration(
configFileMap, ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
try
{
cSection =
(ConsoleSection)config.GetSection(
sectionName);
if (cSection == null)
{
// Create a custom configuration section.
cSection = new ConsoleSection();
// Define where in the configuration file
// hierarchy the associated
// configuration section can be declared.
cSection.SectionInformation.AllowExeDefinition =
ConfigurationAllowExeDefinition.MachineToLocalUser;
// Allow the configuration section to be
// overridden by other configuration files.
cSection.SectionInformation.AllowOverride =
true;
// Force the section to be saved.
cSection.SectionInformation.ForceSave = true;
// Store console settings for roaming users.
cSection.ConsoleElement.BackgroundColor =
ConsoleColor.Blue;
cSection.ConsoleElement.ForegroundColor =
ConsoleColor.Yellow;
// Add configuration information to
// the configuration file.
config.Sections.Add(sectionName, cSection);
config.Save(ConfigurationSaveMode.Modified);
// Force a reload of the changed section. This
// makes the new values available for reading.
ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection(
sectionName);
}
}
catch (ConfigurationErrorsException e)
{
Console.WriteLine("[Exception error: {0}]",
e.ToString());
}
// Set console properties using values
// stored in the configuration file.
Console.BackgroundColor =
cSection.ConsoleElement.BackgroundColor;
Console.ForegroundColor =
cSection.ConsoleElement.ForegroundColor;
// Apply the changes.
Console.Clear();
// Display feedback.
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Performed the following tasks:");
Console.WriteLine(
"Created roaming configuration file {0}",
config.FilePath);
Console.WriteLine("Created custom ConsoleSection.");
Console.WriteLine(
"Stored background (blue) and foreground (yellow) colors.");
Console.WriteLine(
"Added the section to the configuration file.");
Console.WriteLine(
"Read stored colors from the configuration file.");
Console.WriteLine("Applied the colors to the console window.");
Console.WriteLine();
}
// Get the application configuration file.
// Note. This function uses the
// OpenExeConfiguration(string)method
// to get the application configuration file.
public static void GetAppConfiguration()
{
// Get the application path needed to obtain
// the application configuration file.
string applicationName =
Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()[0];
if (!applicationName.Contains(".exe"))
applicationName =
String.Concat(applicationName, ".exe");
string exePath = System.IO.Path.Combine(
Environment.CurrentDirectory, applicationName);
// Get the configuration file. The file name has
// this format appname.exe.config.
System.Configuration.Configuration config =
ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(exePath);
try
{
// Create a custom configuration section
// having the same name used in the
// roaming configuration file.
// This is possible because the configuration
// section can be overridden by other
// configuration files.
string sectionName = "consoleSection";
ConsoleSection customSection = new ConsoleSection();
if (config.Sections[sectionName] == null)
{
// Store console settings.
customSection.ConsoleElement.BackgroundColor =
ConsoleColor.Black;
customSection.ConsoleElement.ForegroundColor =
ConsoleColor.White;
// Add configuration information to the
// configuration file.
config.Sections.Add(sectionName, customSection);
config.Save(ConfigurationSaveMode.Modified);
// Force a reload of the changed section.
// This makes the new values available for reading.
ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection(sectionName);
}
// Set console properties using values
// stored in the configuration file.
customSection =
(ConsoleSection)config.GetSection(sectionName);
Console.BackgroundColor =
customSection.ConsoleElement.BackgroundColor;
Console.ForegroundColor =
customSection.ConsoleElement.ForegroundColor;
// Apply the changes.
Console.Clear();
}
catch (ConfigurationErrorsException e)
{
Console.WriteLine("[Error exception: {0}]",
e.ToString());
}
// Display feedback.
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Performed the following tasks:");
Console.WriteLine(
"Created the application configuration file {0}",
config.FilePath);
Console.WriteLine("Created custom ConsoleSection.");
Console.WriteLine(
"Stored background (black) and foreground (white) colors.");
Console.WriteLine(
"Added the section to the configuration file.");
Console.WriteLine(
"Read stored colors from the configuration file.");
Console.WriteLine("Applied the colors to the console window.");
Console.WriteLine();
}
// Get the AppSettings section.
// This function uses the AppSettings property
// to read the appSettings configuration
// section.
public static void ReadAppSettings()
{
try
{
// Get the AppSettings section.
NameValueCollection appSettings =
ConfigurationManager.AppSettings;
// Get the AppSettings section elements.
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Performed the following tasks:");
Console.WriteLine("Read application settings:");
Console.WriteLine();
if (appSettings.Count == 0)
{
Console.WriteLine("[ReadAppSettings: {0}]",
"AppSettings is empty Use GetSection command first.");
}
for (int i = 0; i < appSettings.Count; i++)
{
Console.WriteLine("#{0} Key: {1} Value: {2}",
i, appSettings.GetKey(i), appSettings[i]);
}
}
catch (ConfigurationErrorsException e)
{
Console.WriteLine("[ReadAppSettings: {0}]",
e.ToString());
}
}
// Get the ConnectionStrings section.
// This function uses the ConnectionStrings
// property to read the connectionStrings
// configuration section.
public static void ReadConnectionStrings()
{
// Get the ConnectionStrings collection.
ConnectionStringSettingsCollection connections =
ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings;
if (connections.Count != 0)
{
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Performed the following tasks:");
Console.WriteLine("Read connection strings:");
Console.WriteLine();
// Get the collection elements.
foreach (ConnectionStringSettings connection in
connections)
{
string name = connection.Name;
string provider = connection.ProviderName;
string connectionString = connection.ConnectionString;
Console.WriteLine("Name: {0}",
name);
Console.WriteLine("Connection string: {0}",
connectionString);
Console.WriteLine("Provider: {0}",
provider);
}
}
else
{
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("No connection string is defined.");
Console.WriteLine();
}
}
// Create the AppSettings section.
// The function uses the GetSection(string)method
// to access the configuration section.
// It also adds a new element to the section
// collection.
public static void CreateAppSettings()
{
// Get the application configuration file.
System.Configuration.Configuration config =
ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(
ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
string sectionName = "appSettings";
// Add an entry to appSettings.
int appStgCnt =
ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Count;
string newKey = "NewKey" + appStgCnt.ToString();
string newValue = DateTime.Now.ToLongDateString() +
" " + DateTime.Now.ToLongTimeString();
config.AppSettings.Settings.Add(newKey, newValue);
// Save the configuration file.
config.Save(ConfigurationSaveMode.Modified);
// Force a reload of the changed section. This
// makes the new values available for reading.
ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection(sectionName);
// Get the AppSettings section.
AppSettingsSection appSettingSection =
(AppSettingsSection)config.GetSection(sectionName);
// Display raw xml.
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Performed the following tasks:");
Console.WriteLine("Created AppSettings section.");
Console.WriteLine("Added new element to the section.");
Console.WriteLine("Read the following settings:");
Console.WriteLine();
// Get the AppSettings XML.
Console.WriteLine(
appSettingSection.SectionInformation.GetRawXml());
}
// Access a configuration file using mapping.
// This function uses the OpenMappedExeConfiguration
// method to access the roaming and the application
// configuration files.
// It then uses the the custom ConsoleSection from
// each file to console window colors.
public static void MapExeConfiguration()
{
// Cotains the selected configuration.
System.Configuration.Configuration config;
// Get the roaming configuration file.
Configuration roamingConfig =
ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(
ConfigurationUserLevel.PerUserRoaming);
// Get the application configuration file.
Configuration appConfig =
ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(
ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
// To map the selected configuration file.
ExeConfigurationFileMap configFileMap =
new ExeConfigurationFileMap();
// Map roaming configuration. This allows
// access to the roaming configuration file.
configFileMap.ExeConfigFilename =
roamingConfig.FilePath;
// Get the mapped configuration file
config =
ConfigurationManager.OpenMappedExeConfiguration(
configFileMap, ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
string sectionName = "consoleSection";
ConsoleSection customSection =
(ConsoleSection)config.GetSection(sectionName);
// Set console properties using the
// configuration values contained in the
// mapped configuration file.
Console.BackgroundColor =
customSection.ConsoleElement.BackgroundColor;
Console.ForegroundColor =
customSection.ConsoleElement.ForegroundColor;
Console.Clear();
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Performed following tasks:");
Console.WriteLine(
"Mapped roaming configuration file: {0}",
config.FilePath);
Console.WriteLine(
"Set console colors from stored configuration values.");
Console.WriteLine();
Console.Write(
"Press Enter to switch to default colors.....");
Console.ReadLine();
// Map roaming configuration. This allows
// access to the application configuration file.
configFileMap.ExeConfigFilename =
appConfig.FilePath;
// Get the mapped configuration file
config =
ConfigurationManager.OpenMappedExeConfiguration(
configFileMap, ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
customSection =
(ConsoleSection)config.GetSection(sectionName);
if (customSection == null)
{
customSection = new ConsoleSection();
// Store console settings.
customSection.ConsoleElement.BackgroundColor =
ConsoleColor.Black;
customSection.ConsoleElement.ForegroundColor =
ConsoleColor.White;
// Add configuration information to the
// configuration file.
config.Sections.Add(sectionName, customSection);
config.Save(ConfigurationSaveMode.Modified);
// Force a reload of the changed section.
// This makes the new values available for reading.
ConfigurationManager.RefreshSection(sectionName);
}
// Set console properties using the
// configuration values contained in the
// mapped configuration file.
Console.BackgroundColor =
customSection.ConsoleElement.BackgroundColor;
Console.ForegroundColor =
customSection.ConsoleElement.ForegroundColor;
Console.Clear();
Console.WriteLine(
"Mapped application configuration file: {0}",
config.FilePath);
Console.WriteLine(
"Set console colors from stored configuration values.");
Console.WriteLine();
}
// Access the machine configuration file using mapping.
// The function uses the OpenMappedMachineConfiguration
// method to access the machine configuration.
public static void MapMachineConfiguration()
{
// Get the machine.config3 file.
Configuration machineConfig =
ConfigurationManager.OpenMachineConfiguration();
// Get the machine.config file path.
ConfigurationFileMap configFile =
new ConfigurationFileMap(machineConfig.FilePath);
// Map the application configuration file to the machine
// configuration file.
Configuration config =
ConfigurationManager.OpenMappedMachineConfiguration(
configFile);
// Get the AppSettings section.
AppSettingsSection appSettingSection =
(AppSettingsSection)config.GetSection("appSettings");
appSettingSection.SectionInformation.AllowExeDefinition =
ConfigurationAllowExeDefinition.MachineToRoamingUser;
// Display the configuration file sections.
ConfigurationSectionCollection sections =
config.Sections;
Console.WriteLine();
Console.WriteLine("Using OpenMappedMachineConfiguration.");
Console.WriteLine("Sections in machine.config:");
// Get the sections in the machine.config.
foreach (ConfigurationSection section in sections)
{
string name = section.SectionInformation.Name;
Console.WriteLine("Name: {0}", name);
}
}
}
#endregion
#region User Interaction Class
// Obtain user's input and provide feedback.
// This class contains the application Main() function.
// It calls the ConfigurationManager methods based
// on the user's selection.
class ApplicationMain
{
// Display user's menu.
public static void DisplayUserMenu()
{
string applicationName =
Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()[0] + ".exe";
StringBuilder buffer = new StringBuilder();
buffer.AppendLine();
buffer.AppendLine("Application: " + applicationName);
buffer.AppendLine("Please, make your selection.");
buffer.AppendLine("Q,q -- Exit the application.");
buffer.Append("1 -- Set console window colors");
buffer.AppendLine(" to blue and yellow");
buffer.AppendLine(" from the roaming configuration.");
buffer.AppendLine("2 -- Ceate appSettings section.");
buffer.AppendLine("3 -- Read appSettings section.");
buffer.AppendLine(" Values merged from application config.");
buffer.Append("4 -- Set console window colors");
buffer.AppendLine(" to black and white");
buffer.AppendLine(" from the application configuration.");
buffer.AppendLine("5 -- Read connectionStrings section.");
buffer.AppendLine(" Values merged from machine.config.");
buffer.AppendLine("6 -- Get specified configuration file.");
buffer.Append(" Set console window colors");
buffer.AppendLine(" from configured values.");
buffer.AppendLine("7 -- Get machine.config file.");
buffer.AppendLine();
Console.Write(buffer.ToString());
}
// Obtain user's input and provide
// feedback.
static void Main(string[] args)
{
// Define user selection string.
string selection = "";
// Get the name of the application.
string appName =
Environment.GetCommandLineArgs()[0];
while (selection.ToLower() != "q")
{
// Process user's input.
switch (selection)
{
case "1":
// Show how to use OpenExeConfiguration
// using the configuration user level.
UsingConfigurationManager.GetRoamingConfiguration();
break;
case "2":
// Show how to use GetSection.
UsingConfigurationManager.CreateAppSettings();
break;
case "3":
// Show how to use AppSettings.
UsingConfigurationManager.ReadAppSettings();
break;
case "4":
// Show how to use OpenExeConfiguration
// using the configuration file path.
UsingConfigurationManager.GetAppConfiguration();
break;
case "5":
// Show how to use ConnectionStrings.
UsingConfigurationManager.ReadConnectionStrings();
break;
case "6":
// Show how to use OpenMappedExeConfiguration.
UsingConfigurationManager.MapExeConfiguration();
break;
case "7":
// Show how to use OpenMappedMachineConfiguration.
UsingConfigurationManager.MapMachineConfiguration();
break;
default:
// DisplayUserMenu();
break;
}
DisplayUserMenu();
Console.Write("> ");
selection = Console.ReadLine();
}
}
}
#endregion
}