Programming .NET Windows Applications

Configuration

The .NET Framework provides a powerful and flexible means of configuring applications. This configuration is accomplished by using text-based XML configuration files. The machine-wide configuration file is called machine.config (described later). This file is supplemented by application-specific configuration files, also described shortly.

This configuration scheme offers the following advantages:

• The XML files that control the configuration can be edited with any standard text editor or XML parser. It is not necessary to use special configuration tools, although the .NET Framework does include a graphical configuration tool.

• Since the configuration is accomplished with text files, it is easy to administer remotely. Files can be created or edited on a development machine, and then copied into place via FTP or remote network access by anyone with security clearance.

• The system is hierarchical. Each application inherits a baseline configuration from machine.config. The application configuration file then applies successive configuration attributes and parameters.

• A corollary of the hierarchical nature of the system is that each application can have its own independent configuration. Applications do not need to share a machine-wide configuration.

• The system is extensible. The baseline system provides configurability to a large number of standard program areas. In addition, you can add custom parameters, attributes, and section handlers, as required by your application.

• The ...