read custom config file in asp.net

Question

How do I read connection strings from custom config file (say abc.config) using WebConfigurationManager from asp.net's C# code?

Configuration conf = WebConfigurationManager.OpenWebConfiguration("~/abc.config");

This doesn't seem to work.

What do you mean doesn't seem to work ? Do you get an exception ? Is it not loaded ? What is the bahvior ? — Jason De Oliveira, Jun 15 '12 at 21:14
Check your `config path` properly. It should be simple. Is the `conf ` object null ? — Angshuman Agarwal, Jun 15 '12 at 21:14
It reads some SQLEXPRESS as data source (a different connection string) not from abc.config — Sam, Jun 15 '12 at 21:24
SQLEXPRESS was 0th element, the connection string from abc.config was the 1st element. — Sam, Jun 15 '12 at 21:27
What do you mean by that ? This information seems irrelevant to the question. Can you please share the file ? You are telling its a custom config and **not** a standard `web.config` file. — Angshuman Agarwal, Jun 15 '12 at 21:27
Sorry. First I tried as a custom config file as above. Then I created a dir and renamed the config web.config like Jason De Oliveira mentioned (this works). But, how can I read from a custom config file? — Sam, Jun 15 '12 at 21:30
@Angshuman Agarwal, the abc.config has connectionStrings. I read connectionStrings from conf — Sam, Jun 15 '12 at 21:48
@Sam - Probably look at this SO post - http://stackoverflow.com/q/6341906/763026 — Angshuman Agarwal, Jun 15 '12 at 21:52

score 3 · Answer 1 · answered Oct 17 '13 at 09:23

you can use this trick: its my custom method- using webapp.config from web root. readl all app settings and return;

//Read WebAppConfiguration
public static AppSettingsSection ReadAllWebappConfig()
{
    string physicalWebAppPath = "";
    AppSettingsSection appSettings;

    ExeConfigurationFileMap fileMap = new ExeConfigurationFileMap();
    physicalWebAppPath = System.Web.Hosting.HostingEnvironment.MapPath("~/webapp.config");

    if (System.IO.File.Exists(physicalWebAppPath))
    {
        fileMap.ExeConfigFilename = physicalWebAppPath;
        Configuration config = ConfigurationManager.OpenMappedExeConfiguration(fileMap, ConfigurationUserLevel.None);
        appSettings = (AppSettingsSection)config.GetSection("appSettings");
    }
    else
        appSettings = null;

    return appSettings;
}

webapp.config sample:

<configuration>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="WebApp-FixedTopMenu" value="true"/>
    <add key="WebApp-FixedTopMenuThickness" value="true"/>
  </appSettings>
</configuration>

All XML need root and item element, its a standard XML, You need the root (configuration) and Item element (appSettings) and your desire properties (such as 'WebApp-FixedTopMenu'). — mRizvandi, Oct 11 '16 at 14:00

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 15 '12 at 21:19

I dont think you can read it with webconfigurationmanager. you will have read like any xml file as it is an xml file

public static string GetSingleValue(string strXPathExpression, string strAttributeName)
        {
            XmlNode node = GetNode(strXPathExpression);
            if (node != null)
            {
                XmlAttribute attribute = node.Attributes[strAttributeName];
                if (attribute != null)
                    return attribute.Value;
            }

            return string.Empty;


        }

read custom config file in asp.net

2 Answers2

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