Custom configuration sections --- why might GetSection return null?

[mcstrini]

I'm trying to have my application use a special config file which is
shared across servers, and want to include a custom section (for URLs
of report services associated with database instances). However, my
section doesn't seem to be recognized (GetSection("Re portServerUrls" )
returns null). I don't really see how what I'm doing differs from the
usage examples I've found.

I have my XML config itself:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuratio n>
<configSections >
[...]
<section name="ReportSer verUrls"
type="[...]DbConfiguration .ReportServerUr lSection,
[...]DbConfiguration "/>
[...]
</configSections>
[...]
<ReportServerUr ls>
<urls>
<add dbInstance="TES T" url=[...] />
</urls>
</ReportServerUrl s>
</configuration>

the classes for the custom section, with appropriate attributes:
public class ReportServerUrl Element : ConfigurationEl ement
{
private static ConfigurationPr operty propDbInstance;
private static ConfigurationPr operty propUrl;

[ConfigurationPr operty("dbInsta nce", IsRequired = true)]
public string DbInstance
{
get { return (string)base[propDbInstance]; }
}

[ConfigurationPr operty("url", IsRequired = true)]
public string Url
{
get { return (string)base[propUrl]; }
}

protected override ConfigurationPr opertyCollectio n Properties
{
get
{
return base.Properties ;
}
}

static ReportServerUrl Element()
{
propDbInstance =
new ConfigurationPr operty(
"dbInstance ", typeof(string), null,
ConfigurationPr opertyOptions.I sRequired
);
propUrl =
new ConfigurationPr operty(
"url", typeof(string), null,
ConfigurationPr opertyOptions.I sRequired
);
}
}

[ConfigurationCo llection(typeof (ReportServerUr lElement),
CollectionType =
ConfigurationEl ementCollection Type.AddRemoveC learMap)]
public class ReportServerUrl Collection :
ConfigurationEl ementCollection
{
public override ConfigurationEl ementCollection Type
CollectionType
{
get { return base.Collection Type; }
}
public ReportServerUrl Element this[int index]
{
get { return
(ReportServerUr lElement)base.B aseGet(index); }
}
public ReportServerUrl Element this[string dbInstance]
{
get { return
(ReportServerUr lElement)base.B aseGet(dbInstan ce); }
}

private static ConfigurationPr opertyCollectio n properties;

protected override ConfigurationPr opertyCollectio n Properties
{
get { return properties; }
}

static ReportServerUrl Collection()
{
properties = new ConfigurationPr opertyCollectio n();
}

protected override ConfigurationEl ement CreateNewElemen t()
{
return new ReportServerUrl Element();
}

protected override object GetElementKey(C onfigurationEle ment
element)
{
return (element as ReportServerUrl Element).DbInst ance;
}
}

public class ReportServerUrl Section : ConfigurationSe ction
{
private static ConfigurationPr operty propUrls;
private static ConfigurationPr opertyCollectio n properties;

[ConfigurationPr operty("urls")]
public ReportServerUrl Collection Urls
{
get { return (ReportServerUr lCollection)
(base[propUrls]); }
}

public ReportServerUrl Section() : base()
{
propUrls =
new ConfigurationPr operty(
"urls",
typeof(ReportSe rverUrlCollecti on),
new ReportServerUrl Collection(),
ConfigurationPr opertyOptions.N one
);

properties = new ConfigurationPr opertyCollectio n();
properties.Add( propUrls);
}
}

and then, as far as I can tell, this is going into a DLL with the same
name included in the "type" attribute of the "section" element in the
config XML, in the same directory with the executables and the config
file itself. (I'm opening the config file with
OpenExeConfigur ation(path)). But config.GetSecti on("ReportServe rUrls")
still returns null. Any ideas on what could be the problem (or even
what I could do to get more info. on the problem)?

[mcstrini]

On Nov 12, 5:33 am, mcstr...@fastma il.fm wrote:

I'm trying to have my application use a special config file which is
shared across servers

Sorry, I meant "shared across multiple executables" (specifically, a
client app and a server-configuration app).