Building on my last post Custom Configuration section….

We often have multiple developers working on the same project but want to be running under different configurations. We do this by adding their machine name to custom config section and replacing the static constructor of the custom config section:

    static Configuration()
    {
      const string ConfigurationSectionName = "ISI.HAPP.API.Configuration";

      Current = null;
      if (Current == null) Current = (Configuration)(System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.GetSection(string.Format("{0}.{1}", ConfigurationSectionName, System.Environment.MachineName.ToLower())));
      if (Current == null) Current = (Configuration)(System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.GetSection(ConfigurationSectionName));
      if (Current == null) throw new Exception(string.Format("Missing {0} Configuration Section", ConfigurationSectionName));
    }

and adding a new config section in the app/web.config:

  <ISI.HAPP.API.Configuration.ronmuth>
    <CompanyName>ISI Ron Muth</CompanyName>
    <Authenication>
      <UseNTPermissions>true</UseNTPermissions>
      <DefaultNTDomain>ISI</DefaultNTDomain>
    </Authenication>
  </ISI.HAPP.API.Configuration.ronmuth>

I HATE “ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings” !!!!

That being said, .NET gives us a great alternative that no one talks about, custom configuration sections. It gives us a fully nestable and strongly typed config section.

Add a new class:

using System;
using System.Configuration;

namespace ISI.HAPP.API
{
  public sealed partial class Configuration : ConfigurationSection
  {
    public class AuthenicationParameters : ConfigurationElement
    {
      #region UseNTPermissions
      /// <summary>
      /// Gets or sets the UseNTPermissions.
      /// </summary>
      [ConfigurationProperty("UseNTPermissions", IsRequired = true)]
      public bool UseNTPermissions
      {
        get
        {
          return (bool)base["UseNTPermissions"];
        }
        set
        {
          base["UseNTPermissions"] = value;
        }
      }
      #endregion

      #region DefaultNTDomain
      /// <summary>
      /// Gets or sets the DefaultNTDomain.
      /// </summary>
      [ConfigurationProperty("DefaultNTDomain", IsRequired = false)]
      public string DefaultNTDomain
      {
        get
        {
          return (string)base["DefaultNTDomain"];
        }
        set
        {
          base["DefaultNTDomain"] = value;
        }
      }
      #endregion
    }

    #region Current
    public static readonly Configuration Current;
    static Configuration()
    {
      const string ConfigurationSectionName = "ISI.HAPP.API.Configuration";

      Current = null;
      if (Current == null) Current = (Configuration)(System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.GetSection(ConfigurationSectionName));
      if (Current == null) throw new Exception(string.Format("Missing {0} Configuration Section", ConfigurationSectionName));
    }
    #endregion

    public Configuration() : base() { }

    #region CompanyName
    [ConfigurationProperty("CompanyName", IsRequired = false)]     public string CompanyName
    {
      get
      {
        return (string)base["CompanyName"];
      }
      set
      {
        base["CompanyName"] = value;
      }
    }
    #endregion

    #region Authenication
    public AuthenicationParameters Authenication
    {
      get
      {
        return (AuthenicationParameters)base["Authenication"];
      }
    }
    #endregion
  }
}

and add the following to the “configSections” of your app/web.config:

    <section name="ISI.HAPP.API.Configuration" type="ISI.HAPP.API.Configuration, ISI.HAPP.API.Core" requirePermission="false"/>

and the following after the “configSections”

  <ISI.HAPP.API.Configuration>
    <CompanyName>ISI</CompanyName>
    <Authenication>
      <UseNTPermissions>true</UseNTPermissions>
      <DefaultNTDomain>ISI</DefaultNTDomain>
    </Authenication>
  </ISI.HAPP.API.Configuration>

It’s that simple …….