Changing Stored Connection Strings and Application Settings at Runtime

Question

Hi All,

I have a quick question about Application settings inside the Project Properties. I just discovered that the settings are NOT editable at runtime but, I have some settings that would need to be saved via an application configuration form including many database parameters (server, user, password etc)

The settings are global to the application so they are not user scope. They need to be application scope. How would this be done if I did not know the login and server credentials on the end customers site?

Ideally, I would also encrypt the details inside the app.config file but, I don't know if this is possible when setting the settings at runtime.

Any help would be very much appreciated.

Answer 1

Hi @Phill ,
You can refer to the documentation below.
Access or change application settings at runtime in Visual Basic
Best Regards.
Jiachen Li

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Answer 2

Hi

I can't reproduce the problem you are seeing.

The values for the My.Settings.UserName is as expected here.
Please check Project -> Properties -> Application -> Save My Settings on ShutDown

        '   My.Settings.Reset()

        MsgBox(My.Settings("UserName"))
        My.Settings("UserName") = "Test"
        MsgBox(My.Settings("UserName"))

Answer 3

See if this works for you, if it does than figure out an encryption/decryption methods to inject into the read and set operations. Yes it's not using My.Settings but it works.

Full source

Requires a reference to System.Configuration

Option Infer On

Imports System.Configuration
Imports System.IO
Imports System.Configuration.ConfigurationManager

Public Class ApplicationSetting
    Public Shared Property ConnectionPath() As String = "AppConnectionString"
    Public Shared Sub SetConnection(ByVal sender As String)
        SetValue(ConnectionPath(), sender)
    End Sub
    Public Shared ReadOnly Property GetConnection() As String
        Get
            Return AppSettings(ConnectionPath())
        End Get
    End Property
    Public Shared Sub SetValue(key As String, value As String)

        Dim appName = Path.GetDirectoryName(Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().Location)

        Dim configFile = Path.Combine(appName, $"{Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly().GetName().Name}.exe.config")

        Dim configFileMap = New ExeConfigurationFileMap With {.ExeConfigFilename = configFile}
        Dim config = OpenMappedExeConfiguration(configFileMap, ConfigurationUserLevel.None)

        If config.AppSettings.Settings(key) Is Nothing Then
            Throw New Exception($"Key {key} does not exist")
        End If

        config.AppSettings.Settings(key).Value = value

        config.Save()

        RefreshSection("appSettings")

    End Sub
End Class

Simple example

Public Class Form1
    Private Sub GetButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles GetButton.Click
        Label1.Text = ApplicationSetting.GetConnection
    End Sub

    Private Sub SetButton_Click(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles SetButton.Click
        ApplicationSetting.SetConnection(ConnectionStringTextBox.Text)
    End Sub
End Class

Answer 4

HI All,

After a lot of research, I am now able to write to the <ApplicationSettings> section of the .config file/settings per the code below however, now I have a new problem. When I run the program from the Program Files Directory, UAC is preventing me from being able to overwrite/save the changes.

I know UAC exists for a good reason but, It's preventing my program from being able to edit it's own settings. I am using Microsoft's recommended approach for storing application settings so there must be a way to allow the program to save it's own data. I know I could run the program as admin or even use compatibility mode to run as admin but that just seems jenky! The last time I installed iTunes and changed the program configuration, I didn't have to run as admin so I really shouldn't have to do the same when I'm using Microsoft's own technology to build a program. How can I solve this problem? I am simply trying to allow my application.exe file to write to the application.exe.config file. It really seems like this should be doable without admin rights or turning off UAC. Thanks

Private Sub WriteApplicationSetting(strSetting As String, strvalue As String)
        Dim config As Configuration = ConfigurationManager.OpenExeConfiguration(ConfigurationUserLevel.None)
        Dim applicationSectionGroup As ConfigurationSectionGroup = config.GetSectionGroup("applicationSettings")

        Dim strAppName As String = System.Reflection.Assembly.GetExecutingAssembly.GetName().Name
        Dim applicationConfigSection As ConfigurationSection = applicationSectionGroup.Sections(strAppName & ".My.MySettings")
        Dim clientSection As ClientSettingsSection = CType(applicationConfigSection, ClientSettingsSection)

        ' set a value to that specific property
        Dim applicationSetting As SettingElement = clientSection.Settings.Get(strSetting)
        applicationSetting.Value.ValueXml.InnerText = strvalue

        ' without this, saving won't work
        applicationConfigSection.SectionInformation.ForceSave = True
        ' save
        config.Save()
    End Sub