C# App.Config with array or list like data

Question

How to have array or list like information in app.config? I want user to be able to put as many IPs as possible (or as needed). My program would just take whatever specified in app.config. How to do this?

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<configuration>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="ip" value="x" />
    <add key="ip" value="y" />
    <add key="ip" value="z" />
    </appSettings>
</configuration>



public string ip = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["ip"];

write your own configuration section. Here's a start. This one shows you how to loop through them — Jonesopolis
– Jonesopolis, Commented May 6, 2014 at 15:41
@Jonesy Or use the hassle-free StringCollection settings type... — Thorsten Dittmar
– Thorsten Dittmar, Commented May 6, 2014 at 15:51
Possible duplicate of How to get a List<string> collection of values from app.config in WPF? — Squazz
– Squazz, Commented May 31, 2018 at 12:10
See my answer here for a way to create your own configuration section: stackoverflow.com/a/33544322/1955317 — Squazz
– Squazz, Commented May 31, 2018 at 12:11

Jonesopolis · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-06 15:45:43Z

58

The easiest way would be a comma separated list in your App.config file. Of course you can write your own configuration section, but what is the point of doing that if it is just an array of strings, keep it simple.

<configuration>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="ips" value="z,x,d,e" />
  </appSettings>
</configuration>

public string[] ipArray = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["ips"].Split(',');

edited May 6, 2014 at 15:45

Jonesopolis

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answered May 6, 2014 at 15:44

milagvoniduak

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Comments

Thorsten Dittmar · Accepted Answer · 2015-11-09 06:25:55Z

21

You can set the type of a setting in the settings designer to StringCollection, which allows you to create a list of strings.

Screenshot

You can later access individual values as Properties.Settings.Default.MyCollection[x].

In the app.config file this looks as follows:

<setting name="MyCollection" serializeAs="Xml">
<value>
    <ArrayOfString xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema">
        <string>Value1</string>
        <string>Value2</string>
    </ArrayOfString>
</value>
</setting>

edited Nov 9, 2015 at 6:25

answered May 6, 2014 at 15:50

Thorsten Dittmar

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4 Comments

Max Carroll Over a year ago

When I try and call the setting using Properties.Settings.MyCollection[x], it says An object reference is required for the non-static field, method, or property? any ideas?

Max Carroll Over a year ago

ahh got it, something like "StringCollection someRegKeys = new Properties.Settings().RegKeys;"

Thorsten Dittmar Over a year ago

Am error in my answer. Must be Properties.Settings.Default.xyz.

bluedog Over a year ago

This is a nicer way to go than using string parsing. In the settings designer, use the '...' on the right of the Values field to edit the collection of strings. It gets converted to XML for you.

Divya · Accepted Answer · 2016-12-16 14:06:04Z

12

In App.config,

<add key="YOURKEY" value="a,b,c"/>

In C#,

STRING ARRAY:

string[] InFormOfStringArray = ConfigurationManager.AppSettings["YOURKEY"].Split(',').Select(s => s.Trim()).ToArray();

LIST :

 List<string> list = new List<string>(InFormOfStringArray);

answered Dec 16, 2016 at 14:06

Divya

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1 Comment

stomy Over a year ago

Why not use .Split(new char[] { ',' }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);?

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