Problem
Need a custom AppSettings section in config file.
Solution
Create a custom section in config file based upon
AppSettingsSection. Then use
NameValueCollection to handle settings. See ConfigurationManager GetSection example below.
Note: Tested in .NET 4.0 and 2.0. If using 2.0, change the version number of type in config from 4 to 2.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
<configSections>
<sectionGroup name="customAppSettingsGroup">
<section name="customAppSettingsAAA" type="System.Configuration.AppSettingsSection, System.Configuration, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
<section name="customAppSettingsBBB" type="System.Configuration.AppSettingsSection, System.Configuration, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
<section name="customAppSettingsCCC" type="System.Configuration.AppSettingsSection, System.Configuration, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b03f5f7f11d50a3a" />
</sectionGroup>
</configSections>
<customAppSettingsGroup>
<customAppSettingsAAA>
<add key="KeyOneAAA" value="ValueOneAAA"/>
<add key="KeyTwoAAA" value="ValueTwoAAA"/>
<add key="KeyThreeAAA" value="ValueThreeAAA"/>
</customAppSettingsAAA>
<customAppSettingsBBB>
<add key="KeyOneBBB" value="ValueOneBBB"/>
<add key="KeyTwoBBB" value="ValueTwoBBB"/>
<add key="KeyThreeBBB" value="ValueThreeBBB"/>
</customAppSettingsBBB>
<customAppSettingsCCC>
<add key="KeyOneCCC" value="ValueOneCCC"/>
<add key="KeyTwoCCC" value="ValueTwoCCC"/>
<add key="KeyThreeCCC" value="ValueThreeCCC"/>
</customAppSettingsCCC>
</customAppSettingsGroup>
</configuration>
using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.Collections.Specialized;
using System.Configuration;
using System.Text;
using System.Web.Configuration;
public partial class ProofOfConcept_Configuration_Default : System.Web.UI.Page
{
protected void Page_Load(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
StringBuilder outputStringBuilder = new StringBuilder();
// EXAMPLE 1: Retrieve 1 custom appsettings section.
// ConfigurationManager.GetSection() as NameValueCollection example
// Create a custom AppSettings section in config file
NameValueCollection settingsAAA = ConfigurationManager.GetSection("customAppSettingsGroup/customAppSettingsAAA") as NameValueCollection;
if (settingsAAA != null && settingsAAA.Count > 0)
{
// Individual setting
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine("Individual setting ----------");
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine(settingsAAA["KeyTwoAAA"]);
// All settings Values in section
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine("All settings values in section ----------");
foreach (string key in settingsAAA.AllKeys)
{
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine(settingsAAA[key]);
}
// All settings' Keys and Values to GridView via Dictionary.
Dictionary<string, string> outputDictionary = new Dictionary<string, string>(settingsAAA.Count);
outputDictionary.Add("[Dictionary to GridView]", "[Example]");
foreach (string key in settingsAAA.AllKeys)
{
outputDictionary.Add(key, settingsAAA[key]);
}
MainGridView.DataSource = outputDictionary;
MainGridView.DataBind();
}
// EXAMPLE 2: Put multiple custom appsettings sections into a single Dictionary collection.
Dictionary<string, NameValueCollection> settingsDictionary = new Dictionary<string, NameValueCollection>();
settingsDictionary.Add("customAppSettingsAAA", ConfigurationManager.GetSection("customAppSettingsGroup/customAppSettingsAAA") as NameValueCollection);
settingsDictionary.Add("customAppSettingsBBB", ConfigurationManager.GetSection("customAppSettingsGroup/customAppSettingsBBB") as NameValueCollection);
settingsDictionary.Add("customAppSettingsCCC", ConfigurationManager.GetSection("customAppSettingsGroup/customAppSettingsCCC") as NameValueCollection);
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine("Dictionary items ----------");
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine(settingsDictionary["customAppSettingsAAA"]["KeyTwoAAA"]);
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine(settingsDictionary["customAppSettingsBBB"]["KeyOneBBB"]);
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine(settingsDictionary["customAppSettingsCCC"]["KeyThreeCCC"]);
// EXAMPLE 3: Loop through each setting of each section in a group
Configuration webConfig = WebConfigurationManager.OpenWebConfiguration("~/ProofOfConcept/Configuration"); // NOTE: MUST INCLUDE FULL PATH TO SUBFOLDER OF WEB.CONFIG IF NECESSARY
ConfigurationSectionGroup myGroup = webConfig.GetSectionGroup("customAppSettingsGroup");
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine("Loop through entire group ----------");
foreach (ConfigurationSection section in myGroup.Sections)
{
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine(section.SectionInformation.SectionName);
NameValueCollection settings = ConfigurationManager.GetSection(section.SectionInformation.SectionName) as NameValueCollection;
foreach (string key in settings)
{
outputStringBuilder.AppendLine(String.Format(" {0} = {1}", key, settings[key]));
}
}
MainLiteral.Text = outputStringBuilder.ToString();
}
}
Sample Output
Individual setting ----------
ValueTwoAAA
All settings values in section ----------
ValueOneAAA
ValueTwoAAA
ValueThreeAAA
Dictionary items ----------
ValueTwoAAA
ValueOneBBB
ValueThreeCCC
Loop through entire group ----------
customAppSettingsGroup/customAppSettingsCCC
KeyOneCCC = ValueOneCCC
KeyTwoCCC = ValueTwoCCC
KeyThreeCCC = ValueThreeCCC
customAppSettingsGroup/customAppSettingsAAA
KeyOneAAA = ValueOneAAA
KeyTwoAAA = ValueTwoAAA
KeyThreeAAA = ValueThreeAAA
customAppSettingsGroup/customAppSettingsBBB
KeyOneBBB = ValueOneBBB
KeyTwoBBB = ValueTwoBBB
KeyThreeBBB = ValueThreeBBB
| Key | Value |
| [Dictionary to GridView] | [Example] |
| KeyOneAAA | ValueOneAAA |
| KeyTwoAAA | ValueTwoAAA |
| KeyThreeAAA | ValueThreeAAA |
Updates 2020-04-01 Added example 3: Loop through each setting of each section in a group
2014-05-23 Added example: All settings' Keys and Values to GridView via Dictionary.
2013-12-05 Added Example 2.
2013-11-11 Updated example code.
