configuration Element (General Settings Schema)
The required root element in every configuration file that is used by the common language runtime and the .NET Framework applications.
<configuration xmlns="schema URL">
<!-- configuration settings -->
</configuration>
Attributes and Elements
The following sections describe attributes, child elements, and parent elements.
Attributes
Attribute |
Description |
|---|---|
xmlns |
Optional String attribute. Specifies the URL to the XML schema that is used to validate the configuration file. If this attribute is not set, you cannot use F1 Help in Microsoft Visual Studio to open topics for the configuration elements. The default for ASP.NET verison 2.0 is "https://schemas.microsoft.com/.NetConfiguration/v2.0". |
Child Elements
Element |
Description |
|---|---|
configSections |
Specifies configuration section and namespace declarations. |
appSettings |
Contains custom application settings, such as file paths, XML Web service URLs, or any information that is stored in the .ini file for an application. |
connectionStrings |
Specifies a collection of database connection strings, as name/value pairs, for ASP.NET applications and features. |
location |
Specifies the resource that child configuration settings apply to. This element is also locks configuration settings, which prevents the settings from being overridden by child configuration files. |
Specifies all elements that are in the ASP.NET configuration schema. |
|
Specifies all elements that are in the startup settings schema. |
|
Specifies all elements that are in the run-time settings schema. |
|
Specifies all elements that are in the remoting settings schema. |
|
Specifies all elements that are in the network settings schema. |
|
Specifies all elements that are in the crypto settings schema. |
|
Specifies all elements that are in the configuration section settings schema. |
|
Specifies all elements that are in the trace and debug settings schema. |
|
Specifies all elements that are in the Web services settings schema. |
Parent Elements
None.
Remarks
The configuration element is the required root element in every configuration file that is used by the common language runtime and the .NET Framework applications.
Each configuration file must contain exactly one configuration element.
Default Configuration
The following code example shows a basic Web.config file that can be created for any ASP.NET application. The customErrors section is provided in case it is required but is commented out.
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<configuration
xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/.NetConfiguration/v2.0">
<appSettings/>
<connectionStrings/>
<system.web>
<compilation debug="false"/>
<authentication mode="Windows"/>
<!--
<customErrors mode="RemoteOnly" defaultRedirect="GenericErrorPage.htm">
<error statusCode="403" redirect="NoAccess.htm"/>
<error statusCode="404" redirect="FileNotFound.htm"/>
</customErrors>
-->
</system.web>
</configuration>
Element Information
Configuration section handler |
Does not apply. |
Configuration member |
|
Configurable locations |
Machine.config Root-level Web.config Application-level Web.config Virtual or physical directory–level Web.config |
Requirements |
Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 5.0, 5.1, or 6.0 The .NET Framework version 1.0, 1.1, or 2.0 Microsoft Visual Studio 2003 or Visual Studio 2005 |
See Also
Tasks
How to: Access ASP.NET Configuration Settings Programmatically
Reference
configSections Element (General Settings Schema)
appSettings Element (General Settings Schema)
connectionStrings Element (ASP.NET Settings Schema)
location Element (ASP.NET Settings Schema)
Concepts
ASP.NET Configuration Overview
Securing ASP.NET Configuration
Editing ASP.NET Configuration Files
ASP.NET Configuration Scenarios
Other Resources
General Configuration Settings (ASP.NET)
ASP.NET Configuration Settings