How to read appSettings section in the web.config file?

Question

My XML looks like this and the filename is web.config

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration>
  <appSettings>   
    <add key="configFile" value="IIS.config"/>
    <add key="RialtoDomain" value="ASNC_AUDITORS"/>    
  </appSettings>
  <system.serviceModel>
    ....
  </system.serviceModel>
</configuration>

In the code when I read like this

String path = ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["configFile"];

I am getting a null value. No exception is thrown. Is this the right way to do it?

You can also read web.config appSettings values directly from an .aspx page https://stackoverflow.com/questions/4152842/how-to-access-web-config-settings-directly-in-aspx-page — Matthew Lock, Nov 25 '21 at 07:00

score 168 · Accepted Answer · answered Nov 16 '11 at 06:01

168

Since you're accessing a web.config you should probably use

using System.Web.Configuration;

WebConfigurationManager.AppSettings["configFile"]

answered Nov 16 '11 at 06:01

marc_s

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I have deployed a .net 6 webapi on iis. Should I use app settings file or web config file for settings? – variable Jan 11 '22 at 15:35

Vishal Suthar · Answer 2 · 2014-08-30T04:28:39.093

33

Add namespace

using System.Configuration;

and in place of

ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings

you should use

ConfigurationManager.AppSettings

String path = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["configFile"];

edited Aug 30 '14 at 04:28

answered Nov 16 '11 at 05:53

Vishal Suthar

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score 7 · Answer 3 · edited Nov 16 '11 at 06:00

7

ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["configFile"]

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.configuration.configurationmanager.appsettings.aspx

edited Nov 16 '11 at 06:00

marc_s

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answered Nov 16 '11 at 05:44

Bassetassen

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I checked that still i am getting a null value. I checked the spelling of the key and everything. – realn Nov 16 '11 at 05:53

score 4 · Answer 4 · answered Jun 05 '13 at 21:58

4

You should add System.configuration dll as reference and use System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["configFile"].ToString

Don't forget to add usingstatement at the beginning. Hope it will help.

answered Jun 05 '13 at 21:58

curiousBoy

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score 0 · Answer 5 · answered Feb 26 '18 at 14:58

    using System.Configuration;

    /// <summary>
    /// For read one setting
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="key">Key correspondent a your setting</param>
    /// <returns>Return the String contains the value to setting</returns>
    public string ReadSetting(string key)
    {
        var appSettings = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings;
        return appSettings[key] ?? string.Empty;
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// Read all settings for output Dictionary<string,string> 
    /// </summary>        
    /// <returns>Return the Dictionary<string,string> contains all settings</returns>
    public Dictionary<string, string> ReadAllSettings()
    {
        var result = new Dictionary<string, string>();
        foreach (var key in ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.AllKeys)
            result.Add(key, ConfigurationManager.AppSettings[key]);
        return result;
    }

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Oct 25 '20 at 01:00

Here's the easy way to get access to the web.config settings anywhere in your C# project.

 Properties.Settings.Default

Use case:

litBodyText.Text = Properties.Settings.Default.BodyText;
litFootText.Text = Properties.Settings.Default.FooterText;
litHeadText.Text = Properties.Settings.Default.HeaderText;

Web.config file:

  <applicationSettings>
    <myWebSite.Properties.Settings> 
      <setting name="BodyText" serializeAs="String">
        <value>
          &lt;h1&gt;Hello World&lt;/h1&gt;
          &lt;p&gt;
      Ipsum Lorem
          &lt;/p&gt;
        </value>
      </setting>
      <setting name="HeaderText" serializeAs="String">
      My header text
        <value />
      </setting>
      <setting name="FooterText" serializeAs="String">
      My footer text
        <value />
      </setting>
    </myWebSite.Properties.Settings>
  </applicationSettings>

No need for special routines - everything is right there already. I'm surprised that no one has this answer for the best way to read settings from your web.config file.

How to read appSettings section in the web.config file?

6 Answers6

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