How to write to config file

[ALI-R]

Hi,,
I have two questions :

1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
App.config

2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??

thanks for your help.
ALI

[William Stacey [MVP]]

Just create your own with strong types as you need. The following could
also me modified with encryption and/or ISO storage, etc.

MyAppConfig mac = new MyAppConfig();
mac.X = 20;
mac.Y = 40;
mac.Save();
MyAppConfig mac2 = MyAppConfig.Loa d();
Console.WriteLi ne("Name:"+mac2 .Name);
Console.WriteLi ne("X:"+mac2.X) ;
Console.WriteLi ne("Y:"+mac2.Y) ;
using System;
using System.Xml.Seri alization;
using System.IO;
using System.Reflecti on;

namespace MyNamespace
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for MyAppSettings.
/// </summary>
public sealed class MyAppConfig
{
public string Name;
public int X;
public int Y;
// ... Add others...

private static readonly string file;

static MyAppConfig()
{
file = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).Location + ".xml";
}

public MyAppConfig()
{
Name = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).GetName().Nam e;
}

public static MyAppConfig Load()
{
using(StreamRea der sr = new StreamReader(My AppConfig.file) )
{
string xml = sr.ReadToEnd();
MyAppConfig mac = MyAppConfig.Fro mXmlString(xml) ;
return mac;
}
}

public void Save()
{
string myXml = this.ToXmlStrin g();
using(StreamWri ter sw = new StreamWriter(My AppConfig.file) )
{
sw.Write(myXml) ;
}
}

public string ToXmlString()
{
string data = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAppConf ig));
using(StringWri ter sw = new StringWriter())
{
ser.Serialize(s w, this);
sw.Flush();
data = sw.ToString();
return data;
}
}

public static MyAppConfig FromXmlString(s tring xmlString)
{
if ( xmlString == null )
throw new ArgumentNullExc eption("xmlStri ng");

MyAppConfig mac = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAppConf ig));
using (StringReader sr = new StringReader(xm lString))
{
mac = (MyAppConfig)se r.Deserialize(s r);
}
return mac;
}
}
}
--
William Stacey, MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

"ALI-R" <ne****@microso ft.com> wrote in message
news:eG******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP14.phx.gbl...

Hi,,
I have two questions :

1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
App.config

2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??

thanks for your help.
ALI

[William Stacey [MVP]]

This version uses static methods and ISO storage for your assembly settings.
Potentially more usefull and don't need to worry about file path locations
or user stepping on the file. Scope is assembly and user specific so
different user's can have different settings. New assembly versions will
also have their own settings and not conflict with each other (i.e. user
running parallel versions.)

Usage example:
-------------------------
MyAssemConfig mac = MyAssemConfig.G etAssemConfig() ;
mac.X = 20;
mac.Y = 40;
MyAssemConfig.S etAppConfig(mac );

MyAssemConfig mac2 = MyAssemConfig.G etAssemConfig() ;
Console.WriteLi ne("Name:"+mac2 .Name);
Console.WriteLi ne("X:"+mac2.X) ;
Console.WriteLi ne("Y:"+mac2.Y) ;

The Class:
---------------------
using System;
using System.Xml.Seri alization;
using System.IO;
using System.IO.Isola tedStorage;
using System.Reflecti on;

namespace MyNamespace
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for MyAppSettings.
/// </summary>
public sealed class MyAssemConfig
{
public string Name;
public int X;
public int Y;
// ... Add others...

//private static readonly string file;
private static readonly string isoFileName;

static MyAssemConfig()
{
//file = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).Location + ".xml";
isoFileName = "AssemConfig.xm l";
}

public MyAssemConfig()
{
Name = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).GetName().Nam e;
}

public static MyAssemConfig Reset()
{
MyAssemConfig mac = new MyAssemConfig() ;
MyAssemConfig.S etAppConfig(mac );
return mac;
}

public static MyAssemConfig GetAssemConfig( )
{
IsolatedStorage File isoStore =
IsolatedStorage File.GetStore(I solatedStorageS cope.Assembly |
IsolatedStorage Scope.User, null, null);

if ( ! MyAssemConfig.I SOFileExists(is oStore, isoFileName) )
return new MyAssemConfig() ;

string xml = MyAssemConfig.R eadFromISOFile( isoStore, isoFileName);
try
{
MyAssemConfig mac = MyAssemConfig.F romXmlString(xm l);
return mac;
}
catch
{
// Xml not valid - probably corrupted. Rewrite it with defaults.
return MyAssemConfig.R eset();
}
}

public static void SetAppConfig(My AssemConfig appConfig)
{
if ( appConfig == null )
throw new ArgumentNullExc eption("appConf ig");
string xml = appConfig.ToXml String();

IsolatedStorage File isoStore =
IsolatedStorage File.GetStore(I solatedStorageS cope.Assembly |
IsolatedStorage Scope.User, null, null);
MyAssemConfig.W riteToISOFile(i soStore, isoFileName, xml);
}

// public static MyAppConfig Load()
// {
// using(StreamRea der sr = new StreamReader(My AppConfig.file) )
// {
// string xml = sr.ReadToEnd();
// MyAppConfig mac = MyAppConfig.Fro mXmlString(xml) ;
// return mac;
// }
// }

// public void Save()
// {
// string myXml = this.ToXmlStrin g();
// using(StreamWri ter sw = new StreamWriter(My AppConfig.file) )
// {
// sw.Write(myXml) ;
// }
// }

public string ToXmlString()
{
string data = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAssemCo nfig));
using(StringWri ter sw = new StringWriter())
{
ser.Serialize(s w, this);
sw.Flush();
data = sw.ToString();
return data;
}
}

public static MyAssemConfig FromXmlString(s tring xmlString)
{
if ( xmlString == null )
throw new ArgumentNullExc eption("xmlStri ng");

MyAssemConfig mac = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAssemCo nfig));
using (StringReader sr = new StringReader(xm lString))
{
mac = (MyAssemConfig) ser.Deserialize (sr);
}
return mac;
}

private static bool ISOFileExists(I solatedStorageF ile isoStore, string
fileName)
{
if ( isoStore == null )
throw new ArgumentNullExc eption("isoStor e");
if ( fileName == null || fileName.Length == 0 )
return false;

string[] names = isoStore.GetFil eNames("*");
foreach(string name in names)
{
if ( string.Compare( name, fileName, true) == 0 )
return true;
}
return false;
}

private static void WriteToISOFile( IsolatedStorage File isoStore, string
fileName, string data)
{
// Assign the writer to the store and the file TestStore.
using(StreamWri ter writer = new StreamWriter(ne w
IsolatedStorage FileStream(file Name, FileMode.Create , isoStore)))
{
// Have the writer write "Hello Isolated Storage" to the store.
writer.Write(da ta);
}
}

private static string ReadFromISOFile (IsolatedStorag eFile isoStore, string
fileName)
{
string sb = null;
// This code opens the TestStore.txt file and reads the string.
using(StreamRea der reader = new StreamReader(ne w
IsolatedStorage FileStream(file Name, FileMode.Open, isoStore)))
{
sb = reader.ReadToEn d();
}
return sb.ToString();
}
}
}

--
William Stacey, MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

"William Stacey [MVP]" <st***********@ mvps.org> wrote in message
news:#j******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl...

Just create your own with strong types as you need. The following could
also me modified with encryption and/or ISO storage, etc.

MyAppConfig mac = new MyAppConfig();
mac.X = 20;
mac.Y = 40;
mac.Save();
MyAppConfig mac2 = MyAppConfig.Loa d();
Console.WriteLi ne("Name:"+mac2 .Name);
Console.WriteLi ne("X:"+mac2.X) ;
Console.WriteLi ne("Y:"+mac2.Y) ;
using System;
using System.Xml.Seri alization;
using System.IO;
using System.Reflecti on;

namespace MyNamespace
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for MyAppSettings.
/// </summary>
public sealed class MyAppConfig
{
public string Name;
public int X;
public int Y;
// ... Add others...

private static readonly string file;

static MyAppConfig()
{
file = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).Location + ".xml";
}

public MyAppConfig()
{
Name = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).GetName().Nam e;
}

public static MyAppConfig Load()
{
using(StreamRea der sr = new StreamReader(My AppConfig.file) )
{
string xml = sr.ReadToEnd();
MyAppConfig mac = MyAppConfig.Fro mXmlString(xml) ;
return mac;
}
}

public void Save()
{
string myXml = this.ToXmlStrin g();
using(StreamWri ter sw = new StreamWriter(My AppConfig.file) )
{
sw.Write(myXml) ;
}
}

public string ToXmlString()
{
string data = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAppConf ig));
using(StringWri ter sw = new StringWriter())
{
ser.Serialize(s w, this);
sw.Flush();
data = sw.ToString();
return data;
}
}

public static MyAppConfig FromXmlString(s tring xmlString)
{
if ( xmlString == null )
throw new ArgumentNullExc eption("xmlStri ng");

MyAppConfig mac = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAppConf ig));
using (StringReader sr = new StringReader(xm lString))
{
mac = (MyAppConfig)se r.Deserialize(s r);
}
return mac;
}
}
}
--
William Stacey, MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

"ALI-R" <ne****@microso ft.com> wrote in message
news:eG******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP14.phx.gbl...

Hi,,
I have two questions :

1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
App.config

2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??

thanks for your help.
ALI

[Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]]

"ALI-R" wrote:

1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
App.config
This is a Visual Studio-ism. This is not what the configuration file ends
up getting called, this is just what it's called inside a Visual Studio .NET
project.

If you look in the build output directory (the bin\Release or bin\Debug
directory for C# projects, the bin directory for VB.NET projects) you'll see
that there is a file called MyApp.exe.confi g, where MyApp.exe is whatever
you've chosen to call your application executable.

This Whatever.exe.co nfig file is a copy of the App.Config file. VS.NET
copies it so that you don't need to maintain a seperate debug and release
version of this file. And they use the name App.config because that's the
magic name they've chosen for this behaviour. :-)
2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??

Sometimes yes, but not always, so you shouldn't rely on being able to do
this.

Why might you not be able to? Well remember that the config file ends up in
the same directory as your executable. If it's installed as a normal
Windows app, this will be something like c:\Program
Files\Yourcompa ny\Yourapp.

Normal users will not be able to write to this directory. (At least not if
it's on an NTFS volume.) Windows protects the Program Files directory so
that only Administrators and Power Users are allowed to write into it.

So if you are relying on being able to write to your config file, you just
made it impossible for anyone not running as an admin or power user to run
your application!

Also, if you were thinking of putting user settings in there, you also just
made life difficult for anyone who has multiple users using the machine.

And if you think multi-user machines are unusual, they're not *that*
unusual. It doesn't have to be multiple concurrent users... If different
logins exist, storing user settings in the app config file doesn't work
well.

You should look at the Environment.Get Folder API to see where you should be
putting settings.
--
Ian Griffiths - http://www.interact-sw.co.uk/iangblog/
DevelopMentor - http://www.develop.com/

[ALI-R]

Hi,
Thanks for your complete answer.

About my first question ,,you mean in deployment I should change its name
from app.config to myapp.exe.confi g?? right??
"Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]" <ia************ *@nospam.nospam > wrote in message
news:Os******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl...

"ALI-R" wrote:

1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
App.config
This is a Visual Studio-ism. This is not what the configuration file ends
up getting called, this is just what it's called inside a Visual Studio

..NET project.

If you look in the build output directory (the bin\Release or bin\Debug
directory for C# projects, the bin directory for VB.NET projects) you'll see that there is a file called MyApp.exe.confi g, where MyApp.exe is whatever
you've chosen to call your application executable.

This Whatever.exe.co nfig file is a copy of the App.Config file. VS.NET
copies it so that you don't need to maintain a seperate debug and release
version of this file. And they use the name App.config because that's the
magic name they've chosen for this behaviour. :-)

2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??
Sometimes yes, but not always, so you shouldn't rely on being able to do
this.

Why might you not be able to? Well remember that the config file ends up

in the same directory as your executable. If it's installed as a normal
Windows app, this will be something like c:\Program
Files\Yourcompa ny\Yourapp.

Normal users will not be able to write to this directory. (At least not if it's on an NTFS volume.) Windows protects the Program Files directory so
that only Administrators and Power Users are allowed to write into it.

So if you are relying on being able to write to your config file, you just
made it impossible for anyone not running as an admin or power user to run
your application!

Also, if you were thinking of putting user settings in there, you also just made life difficult for anyone who has multiple users using the machine.

And if you think multi-user machines are unusual, they're not *that*
unusual. It doesn't have to be multiple concurrent users... If different
logins exist, storing user settings in the app config file doesn't work
well.

You should look at the Environment.Get Folder API to see where you should be putting settings.
--
Ian Griffiths - http://www.interact-sw.co.uk/iangblog/
DevelopMentor - http://www.develop.com/

[ALI-R]

thanks ,your answer is so complete and self-explanatory,
"William Stacey [MVP]" <st***********@ mvps.org> wrote in message
news:eS******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl...

This version uses static methods and ISO storage for your assembly settings. Potentially more usefull and don't need to worry about file path locations
or user stepping on the file. Scope is assembly and user specific so
different user's can have different settings. New assembly versions will
also have their own settings and not conflict with each other (i.e. user
running parallel versions.)

Usage example:
-------------------------
MyAssemConfig mac = MyAssemConfig.G etAssemConfig() ;
mac.X = 20;
mac.Y = 40;
MyAssemConfig.S etAppConfig(mac );

MyAssemConfig mac2 = MyAssemConfig.G etAssemConfig() ;
Console.WriteLi ne("Name:"+mac2 .Name);
Console.WriteLi ne("X:"+mac2.X) ;
Console.WriteLi ne("Y:"+mac2.Y) ;

The Class:
---------------------
using System;
using System.Xml.Seri alization;
using System.IO;
using System.IO.Isola tedStorage;
using System.Reflecti on;

namespace MyNamespace
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for MyAppSettings.
/// </summary>
public sealed class MyAssemConfig
{
public string Name;
public int X;
public int Y;
// ... Add others...

//private static readonly string file;
private static readonly string isoFileName;

static MyAssemConfig()
{
//file = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).Location + ".xml";
isoFileName = "AssemConfig.xm l";
}

public MyAssemConfig()
{
Name = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).GetName().Nam e;
}

public static MyAssemConfig Reset()
{
MyAssemConfig mac = new MyAssemConfig() ;
MyAssemConfig.S etAppConfig(mac );
return mac;
}

public static MyAssemConfig GetAssemConfig( )
{
IsolatedStorage File isoStore =
IsolatedStorage File.GetStore(I solatedStorageS cope.Assembly |
IsolatedStorage Scope.User, null, null);

if ( ! MyAssemConfig.I SOFileExists(is oStore, isoFileName) )
return new MyAssemConfig() ;

string xml = MyAssemConfig.R eadFromISOFile( isoStore, isoFileName);
try
{
MyAssemConfig mac = MyAssemConfig.F romXmlString(xm l);
return mac;
}
catch
{
// Xml not valid - probably corrupted. Rewrite it with defaults.
return MyAssemConfig.R eset();
}
}

public static void SetAppConfig(My AssemConfig appConfig)
{
if ( appConfig == null )
throw new ArgumentNullExc eption("appConf ig");
string xml = appConfig.ToXml String();

IsolatedStorage File isoStore =
IsolatedStorage File.GetStore(I solatedStorageS cope.Assembly |
IsolatedStorage Scope.User, null, null);
MyAssemConfig.W riteToISOFile(i soStore, isoFileName, xml);
}

// public static MyAppConfig Load()
// {
// using(StreamRea der sr = new StreamReader(My AppConfig.file) )
// {
// string xml = sr.ReadToEnd();
// MyAppConfig mac = MyAppConfig.Fro mXmlString(xml) ;
// return mac;
// }
// }

// public void Save()
// {
// string myXml = this.ToXmlStrin g();
// using(StreamWri ter sw = new StreamWriter(My AppConfig.file) )
// {
// sw.Write(myXml) ;
// }
// }

public string ToXmlString()
{
string data = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAssemCo nfig));
using(StringWri ter sw = new StringWriter())
{
ser.Serialize(s w, this);
sw.Flush();
data = sw.ToString();
return data;
}
}

public static MyAssemConfig FromXmlString(s tring xmlString)
{
if ( xmlString == null )
throw new ArgumentNullExc eption("xmlStri ng");

MyAssemConfig mac = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAssemCo nfig));
using (StringReader sr = new StringReader(xm lString))
{
mac = (MyAssemConfig) ser.Deserialize (sr);
}
return mac;
}

private static bool ISOFileExists(I solatedStorageF ile isoStore, string
fileName)
{
if ( isoStore == null )
throw new ArgumentNullExc eption("isoStor e");
if ( fileName == null || fileName.Length == 0 )
return false;

string[] names = isoStore.GetFil eNames("*");
foreach(string name in names)
{
if ( string.Compare( name, fileName, true) == 0 )
return true;
}
return false;
}

private static void WriteToISOFile( IsolatedStorage File isoStore, string
fileName, string data)
{
// Assign the writer to the store and the file TestStore.
using(StreamWri ter writer = new StreamWriter(ne w
IsolatedStorage FileStream(file Name, FileMode.Create , isoStore)))
{
// Have the writer write "Hello Isolated Storage" to the store.
writer.Write(da ta);
}
}

private static string ReadFromISOFile (IsolatedStorag eFile isoStore, string fileName)
{
string sb = null;
// This code opens the TestStore.txt file and reads the string.
using(StreamRea der reader = new StreamReader(ne w
IsolatedStorage FileStream(file Name, FileMode.Open, isoStore)))
{
sb = reader.ReadToEn d();
}
return sb.ToString();
}
}
}

--
William Stacey, MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

"William Stacey [MVP]" <st***********@ mvps.org> wrote in message
news:#j******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl...

Just create your own with strong types as you need. The following could
also me modified with encryption and/or ISO storage, etc.

MyAppConfig mac = new MyAppConfig();
mac.X = 20;
mac.Y = 40;
mac.Save();
MyAppConfig mac2 = MyAppConfig.Loa d();
Console.WriteLi ne("Name:"+mac2 .Name);
Console.WriteLi ne("X:"+mac2.X) ;
Console.WriteLi ne("Y:"+mac2.Y) ;
using System;
using System.Xml.Seri alization;
using System.IO;
using System.Reflecti on;

namespace MyNamespace
{
/// <summary>
/// Summary description for MyAppSettings.
/// </summary>
public sealed class MyAppConfig
{
public string Name;
public int X;
public int Y;
// ... Add others...

private static readonly string file;

static MyAppConfig()
{
file = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).Location + ".xml";
}

public MyAppConfig()
{
Name = Assembly.GetExe cutingAssembly( ).GetName().Nam e;
}

public static MyAppConfig Load()
{
using(StreamRea der sr = new StreamReader(My AppConfig.file) )
{
string xml = sr.ReadToEnd();
MyAppConfig mac = MyAppConfig.Fro mXmlString(xml) ;
return mac;
}
}

public void Save()
{
string myXml = this.ToXmlStrin g();
using(StreamWri ter sw = new StreamWriter(My AppConfig.file) )
{
sw.Write(myXml) ;
}
}

public string ToXmlString()
{
string data = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAppConf ig));
using(StringWri ter sw = new StringWriter())
{
ser.Serialize(s w, this);
sw.Flush();
data = sw.ToString();
return data;
}
}

public static MyAppConfig FromXmlString(s tring xmlString)
{
if ( xmlString == null )
throw new ArgumentNullExc eption("xmlStri ng");

MyAppConfig mac = null;
XmlSerializer ser = new XmlSerializer(t ypeof(MyAppConf ig));
using (StringReader sr = new StringReader(xm lString))
{
mac = (MyAppConfig)se r.Deserialize(s r);
}
return mac;
}
}
}
--
William Stacey, MVP
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

"ALI-R" <ne****@microso ft.com> wrote in message
news:eG******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP14.phx.gbl...

Hi,,
I have two questions :

1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
App.config

2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??

thanks for your help.
ALI

[Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]]

Yes, when deployed you need to make sure that the App.config file is renamed
myapp.exe.confi g. I thought (but could be wrong) that a VS.NET Setup and
Deployment project would do this automatically. But if you're doing your
own installer you'll need to do this.

Of course, the simple thing is just to install what VS.NET builds into the
bin\release directory - it will already have copied and renamed the file for
you. And you usually need to install everything that's in that directory...
--
Ian Griffiths - http://www.interact-sw.co.uk/iangblog/
DevelopMentor - http://www.develop.com/

"ALI-R" wrote:

Hi,
Thanks for your complete answer.

About my first question ,,you mean in deployment I should change its name
from app.config to myapp.exe.confi g?? right??
"Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]" <ia************ *@nospam.nospam > wrote in message
news:Os******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl...

"ALI-R" wrote:

> 1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
> App.config

This is a Visual Studio-ism. This is not what the configuration file
ends
up getting called, this is just what it's called inside a Visual Studio

.NET

project.

If you look in the build output directory (the bin\Release or bin\Debug
directory for C# projects, the bin directory for VB.NET projects) you'll

see

that there is a file called MyApp.exe.confi g, where MyApp.exe is whatever
you've chosen to call your application executable.

This Whatever.exe.co nfig file is a copy of the App.Config file. VS.NET
copies it so that you don't need to maintain a seperate debug and release
version of this file. And they use the name App.config because that's
the
magic name they've chosen for this behaviour. :-)

> 2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??

Sometimes yes, but not always, so you shouldn't rely on being able to do
this.

Why might you not be able to? Well remember that the config file ends up

in

the same directory as your executable. If it's installed as a normal
Windows app, this will be something like c:\Program
Files\Yourcompa ny\Yourapp.

Normal users will not be able to write to this directory. (At least not

if

it's on an NTFS volume.) Windows protects the Program Files directory so
that only Administrators and Power Users are allowed to write into it.

So if you are relying on being able to write to your config file, you
just
made it impossible for anyone not running as an admin or power user to
run
your application!

Also, if you were thinking of putting user settings in there, you also

just

made life difficult for anyone who has multiple users using the machine.

And if you think multi-user machines are unusual, they're not *that*
unusual. It doesn't have to be multiple concurrent users... If
different
logins exist, storing user settings in the app config file doesn't work
well.

You should look at the Environment.Get Folder API to see where you should

be

putting settings.

[Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]]

Yes, when deployed you need to make sure that the App.config file is renamed
myapp.exe.confi g. I thought (but could be wrong) that a VS.NET Setup and
Deployment project would do this automatically. But if you're doing your
own installer you'll need to do this.

Of course, the simple thing is just to install what VS.NET builds into the
bin\release directory - it will already have copied and renamed the file for
you. And you usually need to install everything that's in that directory...
--
Ian Griffiths - http://www.interact-sw.co.uk/iangblog/
DevelopMentor - http://www.develop.com/

"ALI-R" wrote:

Hi,
Thanks for your complete answer.

About my first question ,,you mean in deployment I should change its name
from app.config to myapp.exe.confi g?? right??
"Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]" <ia************ *@nospam.nospam > wrote in message
news:Os******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl...

"ALI-R" wrote:

> 1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
> App.config

This is a Visual Studio-ism. This is not what the configuration file
ends
up getting called, this is just what it's called inside a Visual Studio

.NET

project.

If you look in the build output directory (the bin\Release or bin\Debug
directory for C# projects, the bin directory for VB.NET projects) you'll

see

that there is a file called MyApp.exe.confi g, where MyApp.exe is whatever
you've chosen to call your application executable.

This Whatever.exe.co nfig file is a copy of the App.Config file. VS.NET
copies it so that you don't need to maintain a seperate debug and release
version of this file. And they use the name App.config because that's
the
magic name they've chosen for this behaviour. :-)

> 2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??

Sometimes yes, but not always, so you shouldn't rely on being able to do
this.

Why might you not be able to? Well remember that the config file ends up

in

the same directory as your executable. If it's installed as a normal
Windows app, this will be something like c:\Program
Files\Yourcompa ny\Yourapp.

Normal users will not be able to write to this directory. (At least not

if

it's on an NTFS volume.) Windows protects the Program Files directory so
that only Administrators and Power Users are allowed to write into it.

So if you are relying on being able to write to your config file, you
just
made it impossible for anyone not running as an admin or power user to
run
your application!

Also, if you were thinking of putting user settings in there, you also

just

made life difficult for anyone who has multiple users using the machine.

And if you think multi-user machines are unusual, they're not *that*
unusual. It doesn't have to be multiple concurrent users... If
different
logins exist, storing user settings in the app config file doesn't work
well.

You should look at the Environment.Get Folder API to see where you should

be

putting settings.

[ALI-R]

No,it installs the file as it is.I mean it dosn't change the name of the
file.it keeps app.config and that was why mt application couldn't get the
settings from that in runtime.

"Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]" <ia************ *@nospam.nospam > wrote in message
news:Oh******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...

Yes, when deployed you need to make sure that the App.config file is renamed myapp.exe.confi g. I thought (but could be wrong) that a VS.NET Setup and
Deployment project would do this automatically. But if you're doing your
own installer you'll need to do this.

Of course, the simple thing is just to install what VS.NET builds into the
bin\release directory - it will already have copied and renamed the file for you. And you usually need to install everything that's in that directory...

--
Ian Griffiths - http://www.interact-sw.co.uk/iangblog/
DevelopMentor - http://www.develop.com/

"ALI-R" wrote:

Hi,
Thanks for your complete answer.

About my first question ,,you mean in deployment I should change its name from app.config to myapp.exe.confi g?? right??
"Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]" <ia************ *@nospam.nospam > wrote in message news:Os******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl...

"ALI-R" wrote:
> 1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
> App.config

This is a Visual Studio-ism. This is not what the configuration file
ends
up getting called, this is just what it's called inside a Visual Studio

.NET

project.

If you look in the build output directory (the bin\Release or bin\Debug
directory for C# projects, the bin directory for VB.NET projects) you'll

see

that there is a file called MyApp.exe.confi g, where MyApp.exe is

whatever you've chosen to call your application executable.

This Whatever.exe.co nfig file is a copy of the App.Config file. VS.NET
copies it so that you don't need to maintain a seperate debug and release version of this file. And they use the name App.config because that's
the
magic name they've chosen for this behaviour. :-)

> 2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??

Sometimes yes, but not always, so you shouldn't rely on being able to do this.

Why might you not be able to? Well remember that the config file ends up in

the same directory as your executable. If it's installed as a normal
Windows app, this will be something like c:\Program
Files\Yourcompa ny\Yourapp.

Normal users will not be able to write to this directory. (At least

not if

it's on an NTFS volume.) Windows protects the Program Files directory

so that only Administrators and Power Users are allowed to write into it.

So if you are relying on being able to write to your config file, you
just
made it impossible for anyone not running as an admin or power user to
run
your application!

Also, if you were thinking of putting user settings in there, you also

just

made life difficult for anyone who has multiple users using the machine.
And if you think multi-user machines are unusual, they're not *that*
unusual. It doesn't have to be multiple concurrent users... If
different
logins exist, storing user settings in the app config file doesn't work
well.

You should look at the Environment.Get Folder API to see where you

should be

putting settings.

[ALI-R]

No,it installs the file as it is.I mean it dosn't change the name of the
file.it keeps app.config and that was why mt application couldn't get the
settings from that in runtime.

"Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]" <ia************ *@nospam.nospam > wrote in message
news:Oh******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...

Yes, when deployed you need to make sure that the App.config file is renamed myapp.exe.confi g. I thought (but could be wrong) that a VS.NET Setup and
Deployment project would do this automatically. But if you're doing your
own installer you'll need to do this.

Of course, the simple thing is just to install what VS.NET builds into the
bin\release directory - it will already have copied and renamed the file for you. And you usually need to install everything that's in that directory...

--
Ian Griffiths - http://www.interact-sw.co.uk/iangblog/
DevelopMentor - http://www.develop.com/

"ALI-R" wrote:

Hi,
Thanks for your complete answer.

About my first question ,,you mean in deployment I should change its name from app.config to myapp.exe.confi g?? right??
"Ian Griffiths [C# MVP]" <ia************ *@nospam.nospam > wrote in message news:Os******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl...

"ALI-R" wrote:
> 1) Is it mandatory that config file of a desktop application must be
> App.config

This is a Visual Studio-ism. This is not what the configuration file
ends
up getting called, this is just what it's called inside a Visual Studio

.NET

project.

If you look in the build output directory (the bin\Release or bin\Debug
directory for C# projects, the bin directory for VB.NET projects) you'll

see

that there is a file called MyApp.exe.confi g, where MyApp.exe is

whatever you've chosen to call your application executable.

This Whatever.exe.co nfig file is a copy of the App.Config file. VS.NET
copies it so that you don't need to maintain a seperate debug and release version of this file. And they use the name App.config because that's
the
magic name they've chosen for this behaviour. :-)

> 2) Is it possible to update config file in your code??

Sometimes yes, but not always, so you shouldn't rely on being able to do this.

Why might you not be able to? Well remember that the config file ends up in

the same directory as your executable. If it's installed as a normal
Windows app, this will be something like c:\Program
Files\Yourcompa ny\Yourapp.

Normal users will not be able to write to this directory. (At least

not if

it's on an NTFS volume.) Windows protects the Program Files directory

so that only Administrators and Power Users are allowed to write into it.

So if you are relying on being able to write to your config file, you
just
made it impossible for anyone not running as an admin or power user to
run
your application!

Also, if you were thinking of putting user settings in there, you also

just

made life difficult for anyone who has multiple users using the machine.
And if you think multi-user machines are unusual, they're not *that*
unusual. It doesn't have to be multiple concurrent users... If
different
logins exist, storing user settings in the app config file doesn't work
well.

You should look at the Environment.Get Folder API to see where you

should be

putting settings.