How to get the key value from the AppSettings.Config file?

Question

I'm trying to get my key value set in the appsettings.Config file but seems not working.

This is what i wrote for that. The code is called from the constructor of an MDI file and its returning only null value. Anybody know why?

     var getValue = ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings["ShowQueryTextbox"];

I also tried with ConfigurationManager.AppSettings . That too didnt work.

My AppSettings Code is as follows.

<configuration>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="ShowQueryTextbox" value="true"/>
  </appSettings>
</configuration>

Does the `ShowQueryTextbox` match case wise in the config file and the code? — Neil Knight, Jul 21 '11 at 11:03
Beware it case sensitive .. would you mind showing the config — V4Vendetta, Jul 21 '11 at 11:04
Can you add details as if there are other projects mapped and where exactly is this placed and named as, Could be possible that its not being called at all — V4Vendetta, Jul 21 '11 at 11:17
There's nothing more than this i wrote. I mean, im trying to call this from the constructor of my mdi file — NewBie, Jul 21 '11 at 11:20

Andreas Ågren · Answer 1 · 2013-05-13T17:00:32.880

29

ConfigurationSettings.AppSettings are obsolete, try

ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["ShowQueryTextbox"];

edited May 13 '13 at 17:00

answered Jul 21 '11 at 11:04

Andreas Ågren

3,879
24
33

He has already mentioned using `ConfigurationManager` didn't work for him – V4Vendetta Jul 21 '11 at 11:08
Thanks, that is what I needed. Even if it didn't answer the question. – Curtis Yallop Mar 26 '14 at 20:38

score 13 · Answer 2 · answered May 02 '14 at 17:22

13

Remember that to use:

ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["MyKey"];

You need to add reference to System.Configuration to your project.

answered May 02 '14 at 17:22

fabriciorissetto

9,475
5
65
73

score 4 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 21 '11 at 12:32

4

The issue arise on renaming the App.Config file as AppSettings.Config. Thanks for all the guidances and help.

answered Jul 21 '11 at 12:32

NewBie

1,824
8
35
66

In a test scenario, we don't know ahead of time which key we are loading. We load ALL keys into a dictionary for use. So getting the key your suggested way means we have to know the key name, and we don't have that info at run time. – Su Llewellyn Jan 24 '18 at 18:32

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 26 '17 at 06:45

The ConfigurationManager is still up to date - Year 2017.

Btw, if you simply want to convert the appsettings configuration value from string to bool, then use Convert.ToBoolean

    if (Convert.ToBoolean(ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["EnableLoggingInfo"]))
    {
        log.Info(message);
    }

In your appsettings configuration (web.config)

<appSettings>
    <add key="EnableLoggingInfo" value="true" />

  </appSettings>

score 1 · Answer 5 · answered Dec 06 '17 at 08:43

1

I am able to get like this:

System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager.AppSettings.Get("KEY").ToString();

answered Dec 06 '17 at 08:43

Suresh Kamrushi

15,627
13
75
90

score 0 · Answer 6 · answered Jul 23 '13 at 14:23

0

This error can also arise if you have the appsettings in the wrong configuration file - example in a WCF application it should be the one in the hosting project

answered Jul 23 '13 at 14:23

James McDonnell

83
2
4

score 0 · Answer 7 · edited Feb 04 '17 at 12:42

0

Check Properties.Settings.Default.ShowQueryTextbox.

edited Feb 04 '17 at 12:42

Tunaki

132,869
46
340
423

answered Feb 04 '17 at 12:40

Kirill Volynkin

1

5

Please don't give one-line answers! See [what is concidered a good answer](http://stackoverflow.com/help/how-to-answer) on [so]! Thank you! – jkalden Feb 04 '17 at 13:11

score 0 · Answer 8 · answered Jul 21 '11 at 11:10

0

Assuming you have added it to the required config file, Can you check the case of the key you are trying to access it's case sensitive so if you have keyed in a different case, it won't be returning the expected value.

answered Jul 21 '11 at 11:10

V4Vendetta

37,194
9
78
82

It's the same as i copy-pasted it from config file. – NewBie Jul 21 '11 at 11:18
Highly unlikely of something like this happening,could you rebuild and try since that would be only file to look when accessing via `ConfigurationManager` – V4Vendetta Jul 21 '11 at 11:24
Is there anything to do with this header in my config file? – NewBie Jul 21 '11 at 11:34
Not at all that's fine, Can you check in the debug folder whether you are getting these values in the xml file there ? – V4Vendetta Jul 21 '11 at 11:40
I dont know which file to refer. – NewBie Jul 21 '11 at 11:48
It would be named as appname.exe.config that is the configuration file else you are adding it in the wrong file, Are there multiple ? – V4Vendetta Jul 21 '11 at 11:50
I got a desktop as well as web project within the same solution. On creating the desktop project didnt created any config file. I added that manually and wrote the above code in my post. There is a web.config file in my webproject too. I couldnt find the file you referred in my debug folder. – NewBie Jul 21 '11 at 11:59
V4Vendetta...Thanks for the help. The issue arise on renaming the App.Config file as AppSettings.Config. – NewBie Jul 21 '11 at 12:31

How to get the key value from the AppSettings.Config file?

8 Answers8