Question

Trouble Writing to Web.config and it's this the right solution?

Asked by: JT_SIRO

I'm trying to write to Web.config to update my 6 connection strings.  They change every quarter, as the databases are renamed each quarter.  

Two questions:
I'm not able to get this code to re-write the web.config.  I'm getting an 'Object reference not set to an instance of an object' error on the line that refrences nodeList[0].ChildNodes.  I'm not an XML guy so I've got no idea why this isn't working.  

Other question - Is this the right solution?  I've read that it's not good to write to web.config as it restarts the App.  I am fine with that, as we have a small user group and it should only be overwritten 4 times a year.  I suppose I could database the connection string, or put it in gloabl.asa, but my code already references web.config in several places so I'd like to leave it.

Thanks =-

Justin

// Save connection strings to web.config
        string path = Server.MapPath("Web.config");
        string newConnectionString = @"Server=local;Database=" + txtUS.Text + ";Trusted_Connection=true";
 
        XmlDocument xDoc = new XmlDocument();
        xDoc.Load(path);
        XmlNodeList nodeList = xDoc.GetElementsByTagName("connectionStrings");
        XmlNodeList nodeAppSettings = nodeList[0].ChildNodes;
 
        XmlAttributeCollection xmlAttCollection = nodeAppSettings[0].Attributes;
        xmlAttCollection[0].InnerXml = "test_key"; // for key attribute  - US_batchID
        xmlAttCollection[1].InnerXml = newConnectionString; // for value attribute
 
        xDoc.Save(path); // saves the web.config file

                                  
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Asked On
2009-09-18 at 11:38:41ID24744217
Topics

Internet File Sharing Software

,

.NET

Participating Experts
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Answers

 

by: Cayman21Posted on 2009-09-19 at 12:06:17ID: 25374096

If you have a solution that works with no major side affects, I'd stay stick with it.  Don't change unless there's a really compelling reason to.

The Web.Config file can be edited programaticly without going directly to the XML.

See this page for more details: http://www.dotnetcurry.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=102&AspxAutoDetectCookieSupport=1

' For example to pull attributes
 
Private configuration As Configuration
Private section As CustomErrorsSection
 
Protected Sub Page_Load(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
      configuration = WebConfigurationManager.OpenWebConfiguration("~")
      section = CType(configuration.GetSection("system.web/customErrors"), CustomErrorsSection)
      txtError.Text = section.DefaultRedirect.ToString()
End Sub
 
 
' To Change attributes
 
Protected Sub btnRename_Click(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As EventArgs)
            If Not section Is Nothing Then
                  section.DefaultRedirect = "SomePage.htm"
                  configuration.Save()
' display a message informing the user that value has changed
            End If
End Sub
                                              
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by: JT_SIROPosted on 2009-09-21 at 12:50:23ID: 31630740

thanks a lot!

20120131-EE-VQP-002

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