App.config doesn't 'refresh' once runned?

[DraguVaso]

Hi,

I have a Windows Service running (made in VB.NET), and wanted to be able to
change from time to time some parameters by changing them in the App.config.
But it seems that the application doesn't use the changed values in the
App.config, but continue to use the values that were there during start-up.

Is there a way to let the application use the new values in the App.config?
Is there kind of some 'refresh' function that I should run? Or should I do
this on an other way?

Thanks,

Pieter

[Bonj]

I might be wrong but IIRC the app.config is part of the compile process, so I
think it's likely that you would have to recompile the project, unless you
specifically set it to look in that file during runtime (or know that it's
supposed to).
"DraguVaso" wrote:

Hi,

I have a Windows Service running (made in VB.NET), and wanted to be able to
change from time to time some parameters by changing them in the App.config.
But it seems that the application doesn't use the changed values in the
App.config, but continue to use the values that were there during start-up.

Is there a way to let the application use the new values in the App.config?
Is there kind of some 'refresh' function that I should run? Or should I do
this on an other way?

Thanks,

Pieter

[Sahil Malik]

That's not true. App.Config is copied to exename.exe.con fig. It is then read
at runtime without needing any recompilation.

- Sahil Malik
You can reach me thru my blog http://www.dotnetjunkies.com/weblog/sahilmalik


"Bonj" <Bo**@discussio ns.microsoft.co m> wrote in message
news:88******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

I might be wrong but IIRC the app.config is part of the compile process, so
I
think it's likely that you would have to recompile the project, unless you
specifically set it to look in that file during runtime (or know that it's
supposed to).
"DraguVaso" wrote:

Hi,

I have a Windows Service running (made in VB.NET), and wanted to be able
to
change from time to time some parameters by changing them in the
App.config.
But it seems that the application doesn't use the changed values in the
App.config, but continue to use the values that were there during
start-up.

Is there a way to let the application use the new values in the
App.config?
Is there kind of some 'refresh' function that I should run? Or should I
do
this on an other way?

Thanks,

Pieter

[©tefan ©imek]

During (or after) compilation, the app.config file is just copied to the
target directory and renamed to <your_app_name> .exe.config. It's then read
on application startup.

I'm not aware of any way of reloading the configuration. The file contains
information that's required for application startup (like runtime
dependencies, etc.) which could not be reloaded.

If you need to change parameters during runtime, I suggest you either use
the registry or an some SQL database for your parameters OR use another
configuration file (say app.xml) and a FileSystemWathc her etc., but I guess
that would be way too complicated.

HTH,
Stefan

"Bonj" <Bo**@discussio ns.microsoft.co m> wrote in message
news:88******** *************** ***********@mic rosoft.com...

I might be wrong but IIRC the app.config is part of the compile process, so
I
think it's likely that you would have to recompile the project, unless you
specifically set it to look in that file during runtime (or know that it's
supposed to).
"DraguVaso" wrote:

Hi,

I have a Windows Service running (made in VB.NET), and wanted to be able
to
change from time to time some parameters by changing them in the
App.config.
But it seems that the application doesn't use the changed values in the
App.config, but continue to use the values that were there during
start-up.

Is there a way to let the application use the new values in the
App.config?
Is there kind of some 'refresh' function that I should run? Or should I
do
this on an other way?

Thanks,

Pieter

[Sahil Malik]

To answer your question specifically Dragu -

App.Config or exename.config changes are not read at runtime. (as far as I
know, and I think I'm right).

But it's easy to implement that. You need to implement your own app.config
basically, what I usually do is, I create a config directory. in that config
directory, I use a combination of FileSystemWatch er object and
System.Enterpri seServices caching to store config info that automatically
updates itself. The config info is nothing but an XML file, which is a class
that I serialized as XMLSerializer. So it's a very elegant solution.

An easier method is to put your relevant data in appSettings, and use the
FileSystemWatch er to re-read the appSettings whenever the file changes.

.... 4:30 AM .. EEEEEEEEEeeeeee eeeeeee I need some sleep !!!

- Sahil Malik
You can reach me thru my blog http://www.dotnetjunkies.com/weblog/sahilmalik

"DraguVaso" <pi**********@h otmail.com> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP15.phx.gbl. ..

Hi,

I have a Windows Service running (made in VB.NET), and wanted to be able
to
change from time to time some parameters by changing them in the
App.config.
But it seems that the application doesn't use the changed values in the
App.config, but continue to use the values that were there during
start-up.

Is there a way to let the application use the new values in the
App.config?
Is there kind of some 'refresh' function that I should run? Or should I do
this on an other way?

Thanks,

Pieter

[Cor Ligthert]

Sahil,

Nice idea,

I do not mean to go to bed what is as well a good idea of course, however
the use of the filesystemwatch er for this.

Cor

[Dan Kelley]

The app.config is read once at startup. In order for your service to detect
any changes, without making any code changes, you would need to restart the
service (assuming you are chaging the app.config file directly in the
services runtime directory).

IIS will detect changes to the web.config by starting up a new app domain,
loading the modified web.config, and then servicing all new requests through
the new app domain, until the old one can be unloaded. This is your third
option, in addition to what Sahils suggestion and restarting the service.

Hope this helps
Dan

"DraguVaso" wrote:

Hi,

I have a Windows Service running (made in VB.NET), and wanted to be able to
change from time to time some parameters by changing them in the App.config.
But it seems that the application doesn't use the changed values in the
App.config, but continue to use the values that were there during start-up.

Is there a way to let the application use the new values in the App.config?
Is there kind of some 'refresh' function that I should run? Or should I do
this on an other way?

Thanks,

Pieter

[Sahil Malik]

Hehe .. thanks !! :)

I've half written the paged datatable. I just keep runnin' out of time man
... but I'll do it.

- Sahil Malik
You can reach me thru my blog http://www.dotnetjunkies.com/weblog/sahilmalik
"Cor Ligthert" <no************ @planet.nl> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP15.phx.gbl. ..

Sahil,

Nice idea,

I do not mean to go to bed what is as well a good idea of course, however
the use of the filesystemwatch er for this.

Cor

[Jay B. Harlow [MVP - Outlook]]

Pieter,
Just remember if you use ServiceControll er to stop & restart the service as
Dan suggests, that if you have multiple services in a single executable,
that you need to stop all the services for it to actually stop your EXE &
restart it.

In the service I am writing I plan on having the service manager (the
windows forms app) stop the service & restart my service (the windows
service app) via ServiceControll er.

If I had multiple services in a single EXE or just multiple services, I
would consider creating a second service that uses filesystemwatch er to
watch the app.config's of other services, then use ServiceControll er.Stop &
Restart to restart the respective services. Just be careful of the watcher
trying to restart itself ;-)

FWIW: I like the idea of separate App Domains, however what I am doing it
seems overkill right now...

Hope this helps
Jay
"DraguVaso" <pi**********@h otmail.com> wrote in message
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP15.phx.gbl. ..

Hi,

I have a Windows Service running (made in VB.NET), and wanted to be able
to
change from time to time some parameters by changing them in the
App.config.
But it seems that the application doesn't use the changed values in the
App.config, but continue to use the values that were there during
start-up.

Is there a way to let the application use the new values in the
App.config?
Is there kind of some 'refresh' function that I should run? Or should I do
this on an other way?

Thanks,

Pieter

[scorpion53061]

I have a solution which modifies app.config during runtime if that is
what you are getting at.

Post if you are interested.

"DraguVaso" <pi**********@h otmail.com> wrote in message
news:#H******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP15.phx.gbl:

Hi,

I have a Windows Service running (made in VB.NET), and wanted to be able
to
change from time to time some parameters by changing them in the
App.config.
But it seems that the application doesn't use the changed values in the
App.config, but continue to use the values that were there during
start-up.

Is there a way to let the application use the new values in the
App.config?
Is there kind of some 'refresh' function that I should run? Or should I
do
this on an other way?

Thanks,

Pieter